# periapsis

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. The point of a body's (elliptical) orbit in a 2-body gravitational system such that the distance between the two bodies (measured from their respective centres of mass) is at its minimum.
2. The minimum distance between the two bodies in such a system.

## Etymology
From peri- + apsis.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/periapsis