Definition
The horizontal angular distance from a fixed reference direction (usually true or magnetic north) to a point or object, measured clockwise in degrees from 0° to 360°.
Plain English
It is the compass direction to something, given as a number of degrees measured clockwise from north. North is 0°, east is 90°, south is 180°, and west is 270°.
Context Anchor
Seen in navigation, compass direction, antenna alignment, radar, and aircraft systems that describe direction around the horizon.
Derivation
From the Arabic 'as-sumut,' meaning 'the directions' or 'the ways.' It entered European astronomy and navigation through medieval Arabic star charts, where it described the horizontal direction to a celestial object. The aviation usage carries the same idea: a horizontal direction measured around the horizon.
Why Pilots Care
Provides precise directional information for navigation, course corrections, and locating radio aids without ambiguity.
Analogy
Think of standing in the center of a compass. North is 0 degrees, east is 90 degrees, south is 180 degrees, and west is 270 degrees. The azimuth is the number that tells which way around that circle something lies.
Intuition Check
Azimuth does not mean how high something is. It means its left-right direction around the horizon, measured as an angle from a reference direction.
Example Sentence 1
The technician aligned the antenna to an azimuth of 270°, pointing it due west.
Example Sentence 2
During the approach briefing, the crew confirmed the runway azimuth matched the published heading.