Equinoctial word meaning and definition

[noun] the great circle on the celestial sphere midway between the celestial poles
[adjective] relating to an equinox (when the lengths or night and day are equal)
[adjective] relating to the vicinity of the equator

\E`qui*noc"tial\, a. [L. aequinoctials, fr. aequinoctium equinox: cf. F. ['e]quinoxial. See {Equinox}.] 1. Pertaining to an equinox, or the equinoxes, or to the time of equal day and night; as, the equinoctial line. 2. Pertaining to the regions or climate of the equinoctial line or equator; in or near that line; as, equinoctial heat; an equinoctial sun. 3. Pertaining to the time when the sun enters the equinoctial points; as, an equinoctial gale or storm, that is, one happening at or near the time of the equinox, in any part of the world. {Equinoctial colure} (Astron.), the meridian passing through the equinoctial points. {Equinoctial line} (Astron.), the celestial equator; -- so called because when the sun is on it, the nights and days are of equal length in all parts of the world. See {Equator}. Thrice the equinoctial line He circled. --Milton. {Equinoctial points} (Astron.), the two points where the celestial and ecliptic intersect each other; the one being in the first point of Aries, the other in the first point of Libra. {Equinoctial time} (Astron.) reckoned in any year from the instant when the mean sun is at the mean vernal equinoctial point.
\E`qui*noc"tial\, n. The equinoctial line.

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