Perigee

{ Per″i‐gee (?), Per′i‐ge″um (?), } n. [NL. perigeum, fr. Gr. � about, near + � the earth: cf. F. périgée.] (Astron.) That point in the orbit of the moon which is nearest to the earth; — opposed to apogee. It is sometimes, but rarely, used of the nearest points of other orbits, as of a comet, a planet, etc. Called also epigee, epigeum.