summersolstice
nounUK /ˌsʌməˈsɒl.stɪs/
US /ˌsʌmərˈsɑːl.stɪs/
The longest day of the year, when the sun stays up the longest.
We had a picnic on the summer solstice and stayed outside until it got dark very late.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The point in the year when the sun is highest in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere.
The summer solstice marks the official start of summer for many people.
3. A day celebrated in many cultures with festivals and bonfires.
People gathered at Stonehenge to watch the sunrise on the summer solstice.
4. The time when the North Pole is tilted most toward the sun.
Scientists explain that the summer solstice happens because of Earth's tilt.