What Does Horizon Mean?

The line where the earth and sky meet.

The literal meaning of horizon is "to limit". It is names so, because it shows the limits of earth and origination of sky. It is the apparent line which segregates the earth from the sky. In precise words, horizon is the line which divides the directions including those which divides the surface of earth and those which do not. The horizon which divides the earth from the sky is also known as visible horizon. There are various derived concepts of horizon like when you are standing at a shore and you look at the sea, then the part of the sea that is closet to the horizon is known as offing. It means that when you see the separation of sea and sky then horizon is known as offing. There are three types of horizons, which includes visible horizon, astronomical horizon and true horizon.

The word horizon, which is derived from the Greek word "orizein (to limit), is an imaginary line that divides the earth from the sky. One can see the horizon when one looks at the sea from the land. The farthest place where the sea seems to touch the sky is called the horizon. At times, the true horizon is not visible because of topographic features like mountains, buildings etc. The intersection which is visible when the sky and the earth seem to meet is known as the visible horizon.

In geology, a horizon refers to a distinct, unique layer of soil that forms a part of the vertical sequence in the soil profile. Each horizon differs from the other on the basis of texture, colour, structural and chemical composition. A soil profile can be divided into three main layers from surface downward known as A, B and C horizons. Horizon also refers to the limit or extent of knowledge a person has.