zodiac

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: zo=di=ac

CIDE DICTIONARY

zodiac, n. [F. zodiaque (cf. It. zodiaco), fr. L. zodiacus, Gr. (sc. ), fr. , dim. of zw^,on an animal, akin to living, to live.].

•  An imaginary belt in the heavens, 161913 Webster]
•  A girdle; a belt.  [1913 Webster]

  "By his side,
  As in a glistering zodiac, hung the sword."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

zodiac, n.
1 a a belt of the heavens limited by lines about 8° from the ecliptic on each side, including all apparent positions of the sun, moon, and planets as known to ancient astronomers, and divided into twelve equal parts (signs of the zodiac), each formerly containing the similarly named constellation but now by precession of the equinoxes coinciding with the constellation that bears the name of the preceding sign: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn(us), Aquarius, Pisces. b a diagram of these signs.
2 a complete cycle, circuit, or compass.

Etymology

ME f. OF zodiaque f. L zodiacus f. Gk zoidiakos f. zoidion sculptured animal-figure, dimin. of zoion animal

THESAURUS

zodiac

anklet, aphelion, apogee, armlet, aspect, astrodiagnosis, astrology, astromancy, astronomical longitude, autumnal equinox, band, belt, bracelet, celestial equator, celestial longitude, celestial meridian, cincture, cingulum, circle, collar, collarband, colures, earring, ecliptic, equator, equinoctial, equinoctial circle, equinoctial colure, equinox, fascia, fillet, finger ring, galactic longitude, genethliac astrology, genethliacism, genethliacs, genethlialogy, geocentric longitude, geodetic longitude, girdle, girt, girth, great circle, heliocentric longitude, hoop, horoscope, horoscopy, house, longitude, mansion, meridian, mundane astrology, mundane house, nativity, natural astrology, neckband, necklace, nose ring, orbit, perigee, perihelion, period, planetary house, quoit, ring, small circle, solstitial colure, stargazing, trajectory, vernal equinox, wristband, wristlet, zone

ROGET THESAURUS

zodiac

Outline

N outline, circumference, perimeter, periphery, ambit, circuit, lines tournure, contour, profile, silhouette, bounds, coast line, zone, belt, girth, band, baldric, zodiac, girdle, tyre, cingle, clasp, girt, cordon, circlet.

World

N world, creation, nature, universe, earth, globe, wide world, cosmos, kosmos, terraqueous globe, sphere, macrocosm, megacosm, music of the spheres, heavens, sky, welkin, empyrean, starry cope, starry heaven, starry host, firmament, Midgard, supersensible regions, varuna, vault of heaven, canopy of heaven, celestial spaces, heavenly bodies, stars, asteroids, nebulae, galaxy, milky way, galactic circle, via lactea, ame no kawa, sun, orb of day, Apollo, Phoebus, photosphere, chromosphere, solar system, planet, planetoid, comet, satellite, moon, orb of night, Diana, silver-footed queen, aerolite, meteor, planetary ring, falling star, shooting star, meteorite, uranolite, constellation, zodiac, signs of the zodiac, Charles's wain, Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Great Bear, Southern Cross, Orion's belt, Cassiopea's chair, Pleiades, colures, equator, ecliptic, orbit, astronomy, uranography, uranology, cosmology, cosmography, cosmogony, eidouranion, orrery, geodesy, star gazing, star gazer, astronomer, observatory, planetarium, cosmic, cosmical, mundane, terrestrial, terrestrious, terraqueous, terrene, terreous, telluric, earthly, geotic, under the sun, sublunary, subastral, solar, heliacal, lunar, celestial, heavenly, sphery, starry, stellar, sidereal, sideral, astral, nebular, uranic, in all creation, on the face of the globe, here below, under the sun, die Weltgeschichte ist das Weltergesicht, earth is but the frozen echo of the silent voice o, green calm below, blue quietness above, hanging in a golden chain this pendant World, nothing in nature is unbeautiful, silently as a dream the fabric rose, some touch of nature's genial glow, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, through knowledge we behold the World's creation.