Alternative spelling of meridian, referring to lines of longitude or the highest point of something.
From Latin 'meridianus' meaning of midday, derived from 'medius' (middle) and 'dies' (day). The geographic sense developed because the sun crosses a meridian at local noon, making it the 'midday line.'
The Prime Meridian at Greenwich was chosen as zero degrees longitude not for scientific reasons, but because Britain was the dominant naval power when international standards were established in 1884. This arbitrary line now governs time zones worldwide and GPS coordinates.
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