Aquarius
/əˈkwɛəriəs/
noun
Origin
Latin
aqua — water
Overview
Meaning Now
- A constellation of the southern hemisphere, depicted as a water-carrier.
- The eleventh sign of the zodiac, which the sun enters about January 20th.
Literal older meaning
water-bearer
Language path
Latin → English
Earliest form
Aquarius
Earliest period
Classical antiquity
Journey
The name Aquarius is Latin for 'the water-carrier' or 'cup-bearer'. In Greek mythology, it is often associated with Ganymede, the youth taken to Olympus to serve as the cup-bearer to the gods.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*akwā-
“water”
- Latin
aqua
“water”
- Latin
aquarius
“related to water; a water-carrier”
Used as a noun for the zodiacal sign.
- Middle English
Aquarius
“the zodiac sign”
Connections
Word parts
aqua
root
water
-arius
suffix
belonging to; agent of
Related across languages
French
Verseau
the water-bearer
Explore next
Related to Aquarius
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.