equinoctial

[ee-kwuh-nok-shuh l, ek-wuh-] /ˌi kwəˈnɒk ʃəl, ˌɛk wə-/
adjective
1.
pertaining to an equinox or the equinoxes, or to the equality of day and night.
2.
pertaining to the celestial equator.
3.
occurring at or about the time of an equinox.
4.
Botany. (of a flower) opening regularly at a certain hour.
noun
5.
celestial equator.
6.
equinoctial storm.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English < Latin aequinoctiālis pertaining to the equinox. See equinox, -al1
Related forms
interequinoctial, adjective
Examples from the web for equinoctial
  • And in truth the sun has extreme power here, since it is within twenty-six degrees of the equinoctial line.
  • The occurrence of the spill within the equinoctial spring tides allowed waves to reach five meters higher than normal tides.
British Dictionary definitions for equinoctial

equinoctial

/ˌiːkwɪˈnɒkʃəl/
adjective
1.
relating to or occurring at either or both equinoxes
2.
(of a plant) having flowers that open and close at specific regular times
3.
(astronomy) of or relating to the celestial equator
noun
4.
a storm or gale at or near an equinox
5.
another name for celestial equator
Word Origin
C14: from Latin aequinoctiālis concerning the equinox
equinoctial in Science
equinoctial
  (ē'kwə-nŏk'shəl, ěk'wə-)   
Adjective  

  1. Relating to an equinox.

  2. Relating to the celestial equator.


Noun  See celestial equator.