1. The highest point or peak; the summit or apex of something.
Usage: formal or literary; often used in historical or elevated contexts
2. In ornithology, the ridge along the upper surface of a bird's bill.
Usage: technical; ornithology

Examples

• The culmen of his career came when he won the prestigious award.
• The mountain's culmen was shrouded in clouds.
• She reached the culmen of her success after decades of hard work.
• Ornithologists examine the culmen of the bird's bill to identify the species.
• The culmen of Roman civilization occurred during the reign of Augustus.