BharatNotes Nadir
nounUsage in a UPSC answer
The years of the Emergency are often regarded as the nadir of India's post-Independence democratic experience, when the suspension of fundamental rights and a pliant press laid bare the fragility of institutional checks.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
nadir (n.), nadirs (n. pl.)
Root
Arabic naẓīr (as-samt) = opposite (to the zenith); via Old French into Late Middle English
Etymology
Late Middle English, via Old French from Arabic naẓīr (as-samt) 'opposite (to the zenith)'.
Memory Hook
Nadir is the astronomical opposite of the zenith — picture standing on Earth and pointing straight DOWN through your feet: that lowest point underfoot is the nadir. "NADir" sounds like "NaDA / nothing left" — you have hit absolute bottom.
Tip: press Alt+S to hear pronunciation
