parallel of latitude

On the Earth, a circle of latitude is an imaginary east-west circle connecting all locations that have a given latitude. A location's position along a circle of latitude is given by its longitude. Circles of latitude are often called parallels because they are a fixed distance apart, and on some map projections, including the Mercator projection, they are drawn parallel. They are also the intersections of the surface of the Earth with parallel planes. Circles of latitude become shorter the farther they are from the equator and the closer they are to the poles. A circle of latitude is perpendicular to all meridians at the intersection points, and is hence a special case of a loxodrome.
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Noun
1. an imaginary line around the Earth parallel to the equator
(synonym) latitude, line of latitude, parallel
(hypernym) line
(hyponym) polar circle

A circle, or approximation of a circle, on the surface of the Earth, parallel tot he Equator, and connecting points of equal latitude; a circle of the celestial sphere parallel to the ecliptic, and connecting points of equal celestial latitude.