summit

I. noun Etymology: Middle English somete, from Anglo-French sumet, diminutive of sum top, from Latin summum, neuter of summus highest — more at sum Date: 15th century 1. top, apex; especially the highest point ; peak 2. the topmost level attainable <

the summit of human fame

> 3. a. the highest level of officials; especially the diplomatic level of heads of government b. a conference of highest-level officials (as heads of government) <

an economic summit

> Synonyms: summit, peak, pinnacle, climax, apex, acme, culmination mean the highest point attained or attainable. summit implies the topmost level attainable <

at the summit of the Victorian social scene

>. peak suggests the highest among other high points <

an artist working at the peak of her powers

>. pinnacle suggests a dizzying and often insecure height <

the pinnacle of worldly success

>. climax implies the highest point in an ascending series <

the war was the climax to a series of hostile actions

>. apex implies the point where all ascending lines converge <

the apex of Dutch culture

>. acme implies a level of quality representing the perfection of a thing <

a statue that was once deemed the acme of beauty

>. culmination suggests the outcome of a growth or development representing an attained objective <

the culmination of years of effort

>. II. intransitive verb Date: 1972 1. to participate in a summit conference 2. to climb to the summit <

summited on May 29

>