peak

Peak refers to the highest point in a topographic feature, such as a mountain or hill, and is used more broadly to denote the maximum or apex of something, including time periods, processes, or data series. The term is common in geography, mathematics, science, and everyday language.

In geography, a peak is the summit of a landform. A peak’s prominence describes how much it stands out from surrounding terrain, measured as the vertical height between the summit and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit. Peaks can be named for navigation, mapping, and cultural reasons.

In mathematics and data analysis, a peak (local maximum) is a point where the value of a function exceeds those of neighboring points; the highest such point in a given domain is the global maximum. In signal processing, peak value refers to the maximum amplitude of a signal, while peak-to-peak amplitude measures the difference between the maximum and minimum values.

In applied contexts, peaking describes reaching or approaching the maximum performance, demand, or intensity, such as peak load on a power grid or peak traffic periods. The term is also used in phrases like peak performance, peak season, and peak experience.

As a proper noun, Peak can appear in company, product, or organization names, serving as a brand or title separate from its ordinary meaning.