ˈperə(ˌ)jē, -əji noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French & New Latin; Middle French, from New Latin perigaeum, perigeum, from Greek perigeion, from neuter of perigeios near the earth, from peri- + -geios (from gē earth)
: the point in the orbit of a satellite (as the moon or an artificial body) of the earth that is nearest to the center of the earth — opposed to apogee ; compare apsis , pericenter , perihelion