Zodiacal Sign
/ˈzoʊ.di.æk.əl saɪn/noun
One of twelve divisions of the zodiac used in astrology, traditionally associated with a particular constellation and period of the year.
Did you know?The zodiac began in Babylonian sky-watching, but the Greek word refers to a “circle of little animals”; because of Earth’s axial wobble, astrological signs no longer perfectly match the constellations they were named for.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷeyh₃-
“To live; a reconstructed root connected with later words for living beings”
Ancient Greek
Greek
zōion
“Living creature or animal”
Ancient Greek
Greek
zōidion
“Little animal; figuratively, a small animal figure or image”
Ancient Greek
Greek
zōidiakos kyklos
“The animal-circle, the belt or circle of the sky containing the zodiacal constellations”
Classical Latin
Latin
zodiacus
“Of the zodiac; adopted from Greek zōidiakos”
Old French to Middle English
French/English
signe → sign
“A mark, indication, or token; from Latin signum, meaning mark or identifying symbol”
Modern English
English
zodiacal sign
“An astrological division of the zodiac associated with a particular date range and symbolic interpretation”