(astronomy) The point where the orbit of a planet, as viewed from the Sun, intersects the ecliptic. The ascending and descending nodes refer respectively to the points where the planet moves from South to North and N to S; their respective symbols are ☊ and ☋.
(rare) The knot, intrigue, or plot of a dramatic work.
(technical) A hole in the gnomon of a sundial, through which passes the ray of light which marks the hour of the day, the parallels of the Sun's declination, his place in the ecliptic, etc.
(computational linguistics) The word of interest in a KWIC, surrounded by left and right cotexts.
