perigeum

Per"i*gee, Per`i*ge"um, n. Etym: [NL. perigeum, fr. Gr. périgée.] (Astron.) Defn: That point in the orbit of the moon which is nearest to the earth; -- opposed to Ant: apogee. It is sometimes, but rarely, used of the nearest points of other orbits, as of a comet, a planet, etc. Called also epigee, epigeum.

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