Is the navigation term "waypoint" or "weighpoint"
Executive summary
The established navigation term is "waypoint": a specified geographic or coordinate-based point used to mark positions along a route in terrestrial, marine, and air navigation, and in mapping and routing software [1] [2] [3]. The variant "weighpoint" does not appear in authoritative navigation, dictionary, or technical references provided and looks to be a typographical or phonetic error rather than a legitimate alternative term [4] [5].
1. What the word officially means: consensus across technical sources
Major technical references define a waypoint as a point defined by geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude) and often altitude or time, used to fix positions or define routes in GPS, aviation, maritime, and GIS systems—Skybrary calls it a "specified geographical location" for area navigation [3], Esri's GIS Dictionary describes it as a "specified geographic location, destination, or point on a route" [2], and GuideNav frames it as "a specific location or point of reference on a route or journey" [6].
2. How professionals use 'waypoint' in aviation, maritime and software contexts
In aviation, waypoints can be abstract GPS-defined fixes that create "highways in the sky" and are three-dimensional (including altitude) for flight planning and air traffic management [1] [7]; Skybrary further distinguishes operational types like fly-by and flyover waypoints used in procedure design [3]. Marine and terrestrial navigation use waypoints as longitude/latitude markers for routing and to note hazards or landmarks [1] [8].
3. How dictionaries treat the term: standardized lexical backing
Authoritative dictionaries define waypoint as an intermediate point on a route or a set of coordinates marking a location; Merriam‑Webster gives "an intermediate point on a route or line of travel" [4], Cambridge notes "a point on a route, especially the co‑ordinates" [9], and Collins cites coordinates as defined by GPS [5]. Those lexical sources reinforce that "waypoint" is the standardized, recognized spelling and sense.
4. Technical glossaries and product manuals: operational definitions
User manuals and industry glossaries used with GPS devices and software consistently use "waypoint" to describe saved coordinates or route markers—TwoNav manuals and help centers instruct users on creating and organizing "waypoints" defined by latitude, longitude, and often altitude [10] [11], and commercial navigation vendors label the concept identically [12] [13].
5. Why 'weighpoint' surfaces: plausible explanations and limits of reporting
The supplied reporting contains no authoritative use of "weighpoint," suggesting occurrences are likely typos, phonetic confusions, or mishearings of "waypoint" rather than a recognized technical variant; the available sources never present "weighpoint" as a defined term [4] [1]. This analysis cannot prove every use on the entire internet, only that the provided and core technical sources unanimously employ "waypoint" [3] [2].
6. Practical stakes: why correct spelling matters in navigation and communication
Using the correct term prevents ambiguity in technical documents, flight plans, GPS wayfiles, and safety-critical communications—mislabeling a coordinate reference as "weighpoint" in software or charts could cause confusion among operators and automated systems trained on standard terminology [7] [3]. In consumer contexts the error is less dangerous but still risks interoperability problems when exchanging waypoint files or entering waypoints into devices [10] [14].
7. Bottom line and alternative viewpoints
The navigation term is "waypoint"—well defined and consistently used across dictionaries, aviation safety material, GIS/technical glossaries, and navigation product documentation [4] [3] [2] [10]. While no authoritative source in the provided set endorses "weighpoint," it is possible some informal or local usages exist outside these sources; this report cannot catalog every anecdotal or erroneous occurrence but finds unanimous professional consensus for "waypoint" [1] [6].