pericenter

pericenter [per-uh-sen-ter] Word Origin noun Astronomy.

1. the point at which a heavenly body orbiting around a primary other than the earth or sun is closest to the primary.

Compare apocenter. Origin of pericenter First recorded in 1900–05; peri- + center Related formsper·i·cen·tral, per·i·cen·tric, adjective