zodiac
/ˈzoʊdiˌæk/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
zōdiakos kyklos — circle of animals
Overview
Meaning Now
- A belt of the heavens divided into twelve signs or constellations, through which the sun appears to move in its annual course.
- A diagram or figure representing the zodiac and its signs, used primarily in astrology.
Literal older meaning
little animal
Language path
Ancient Greek → Middle French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
zodiak
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term stems from the Hellenistic practice of mapping the path of the sun (the ecliptic) against fixed constellations. Most, though not all, of the twelve traditional signs (Aries, Taurus, Leo, etc.) are associated with zoomorphic figures, which gave rise to the Greek descriptor 'zōdiakos', meaning 'of or pertaining to animals'.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
zōidion
“small animal, figure”
Diminutive of zōon (animal).
- Ancient Greek
zōdiakos kyklos
“circle of small animals”
Referencing the constellations represented by figures of animals.
- Middle French
zodiaque
“zodiac”
Borrowed into French from Latin zōdiacus.
- English
zodiac
“celestial belt of signs”
Standardized spelling in modern English.
Connections
Word parts
zōion
root
animal
-idion
suffix
diminutive marker
Related across languages
French
zodiaque
zodiac
Latin
zōdiacus
zodiac
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Related to zodiac
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.