ˈazəməth noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English azimut, azimuth, from (assumed) Medieval Latin, from Arabic as-sumūt the azimuth, plural of as-samt the way, direction
1.
a. : an arc of the horizon measured between a fixed point (as true north) and the vertical circle passing through the center of an object, usually in astronomy and navigation being measured clockwise from the north point through 360 degrees and in surveying clockwise from the south point
the azimuth of a star
b. : horizontal direction expressed as the angular distance between the direction of a fixed point (as the observer's heading) and the direction of the object : bearing 7c
2.
a. : the angle that the plane of polarization of polarized light makes with a specified reference plane
b. : a vectorial angle (as that defining the position of a particle in an orbit or of a point in an image field as measured around the instrumental axis)
3. : a line or course : direction
the azimuth we must take to confirm the victories already won — F.R.Fogle