solstĭtĭum

I. In gen., the time when the sun seems to stand still, either in Cancer or in Capricorn, the (summer or winter) solstice (so in gen. not till after the Aug. period): solstitium aestivum ... hibernum, Col. 7, 3, 11: aestivum, Plin. 2, 103, 106, § 229: brumale, Col. 11, 2, 94: solstitia et aequinoctia, id. 9, 14, 12.—

II. In partic., the summer solstice, the longest day of the year (opp. bruma, the prevalent signif. of the word): alter motus solis est ... a brumā ad solstitium. Solstitium quod sol eo die sistere videbatur, Varr. L. L. 6, § 8 Müll.; Cato, R. R. 104; Varr. R. R. 1, 28, 2; 1, 1, 46; Cic. N. D. 2, 7, 19; 2, 19, 50; id. Div. 2, 44, 93; Plin. 8, 43, 68, § 167; 18, 28, 68, § 264 al.—

B. Transf., in gen., summer time, the heat of summer (poet. and in post-Aug. prose; cf. bruma, 2.): paenula solstitio, campestre nivalibus auris Hor. Ep. 1, 11, 18; Verg. G. 1, 100; Ov. Tr. 5, 10, 7; Sen. Ben. 1, 12, 3: solstitium pecori defendite, Verg. E. 7, 47.