Skywords
This page is a collection of remarkable words that reflect the nature of the sky. Every word is an opportunity to learn something about the nature of the cosmos and, ultimately, about the nature of life. Words can be interconnected through a variety of perspectives: etymology, analogy, anagrams, phonetics... For this collection, we've focused on etymology.
From Late Latin asteriscus, from Ancient Greek ἀστερίσκος (asterískos, “a little star, asterisk, used in manuscripts to mark passages”), diminutive of ἀστήρ (astḗr, “a star”).
From Ancient Greek ἀστερισμός (asterismós, “group of stars”), from ἀστήρ (astḗr, “star”). See also constellation.
aster + -oid Coined by William Herschel, terming these objects "star-like".
From Middle French astrologie, and its source, Latin astrologia (“astronomy”), from Ancient Greek ἀστρολογία (astrología, “telling of the stars”), from ἄστρον (ástron, “star, planet, or constellation”) + -λογία (-logía, “treating of”), combination form of -λόγος (-lógos, “one who speaks (in a certain manner)”). Morphologically astro- + -logy.
From Middle English astronomie, astronemy, from Old French astronomie, equivalent to astro- + -nomy. Displaced native Old English tungolcræft.
(Latin) From Proto-Italic *auzōs (as Flōra from flōs), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsōs (“dawn”). In the Proto-Indo-European religion it was personified as the goddess of the dawn, corresponding to the Roman goddess Aurōra, from *h₂ews- (“east”).
Cognates include the Latin auster, Ancient Greek Ἠώς (Ēṓs), ἠώς (ēṓs), the Sanskrit उषस् (uṣás, “dawn”, “Ushas”), and the Old English Ēostre (modern Easter), English east.
In reference to celestial bodies, physicist Hong-Yee Chiu attributed the term to his colleague Robert H. Dicke, who stated around 1960–1961 that the objects were "like the Black Hole of Calcutta". The first known usage in print was by journalist Ann Ewing in 1964. Widespread popularisation of the term is generally credited to a 1967 lecture by physicist John Wheeler. See also white hole, wormhole.
From Middle English comete, partly from Old English comēta and partly from Old French comete, both from Latin comētēs, from Ancient Greek κομήτης (komḗtēs, “longhaired”), short for ἀστὴρ κομήτης ([astēr] komētēs, "longhaired [star])" and referring to the tail of a comet, from κόμη (kómē, “hair”). Compare English faxed star.
From Middle English constellacioun, constillacioun, from Middle French constellation, from Latin cōnstēllātiō, from con- (“together”) + stēllātus (“starred”), from stēlla (“star, astral body”). See also asterism.
From Medieval Latin cosmologia, from Ancient Greek κόσμος (kósmos, “world”) + -λογία (-logía, “treating of”), combination form of -λόγος (-lógos, “one who speaks (in a certain manner)”).
From Latinized form of Ancient Greek κόσμος (kósmos, “order, proper order of the world”).
From Middle English cicle (“fixed length period of years”), from Late Latin cyclus, from Ancient Greek κύκλος (kúklos, “circle”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos (“circle, wheel”). Doublet of wheel; see there for more. See also bicycle, chakra, conjunction, synodic, wheel, zodiac.
From Middle English date, from Old French date, from Late Latin data, from Latin datus (“given”), past participle of dare (“to give”); from Proto-Indo-European *deh₃- (“to give”). Doublet of data.
From Old French eclipse, from Latin eclīpsis, from Ancient Greek ἔκλειψις (ékleipsis, “eclipse”), from ἐκλείπω (ekleípō, “I abandon, go missing, vanish”), from ἐκ (ek, “out”) and λείπω (leípō, “I leave behind”).
Formerly also inlighten, from Middle English enlightenen, inlightnen, a hybrid formed from inlighten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), from Old English inlīhtan, onlīhtan, enlīhten (“to enlighten, illuminate, give light to, give sight to”) and lightnen (“to enlighten, illuminate”) (equivalent to light + -en). Cognate with Dutch inlichten (“to enlighten, inform”), Old High German inliuhten (“to enlighten, illuminate”), Gothic 𐌹𐌽𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (inliuhtjan, “to enlighten, illuminate”). More at inlight, -en. See also illuminate, illustration, light.
From Middle English ēther (“the caelum aetherum of ancient cosmology in which the planets orbit; a shining, fluid substance described as a form of air or fire; air”),[1] borrowed from Anglo-Norman ether and Middle French ether, ethere, aether, from Old French aether (“highest and purest part of the atmosphere; medium supposedly filling the upper regions of space”) (modern French éther), or directly from its etymon Latin aethēr (“highest and purest part of the atmosphere; air; heavens, sky; light of day; ethereal matter surrounding a deity”) (note also New Latin aethēr (“chemical compound analogous to diethyl ether”)), from Ancient Greek αἰθήρ (aithḗr, “purer upper air of the atmosphere; heaven, sky; theoretical medium supposed to fill unoccupied space and transmit heat and light”),[2][3] from αἴθω (aíthō, “to burn, ignite; to blaze, shine”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eydʰ- (“to burn; fire”).
From Middle English firmament, furmament (“heaven; sky”), from Old French firmament (“firmament”), or from its etymon Latin firmāmentum (“something that strengthens or supports; sky”), from firmāre (“to strengthen”) + -mentum (suffix indicating an instrument or medium, or the result of something). Firmāre is the present active infinitive of firmō (“to make firm, strengthen”), from firmus (“firm, strong, stable”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰer- (“to hold; to support”).
The Latin word was used in the Vulgate version of the Bible to translate the Ancient Greek στερέωμα (steréōma, “foundation, framework; firmament”) in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament), which in turn was used to translate the Hebrew רָקִיעַ (rāqī́aʿ, “celestial dome, vault of heaven”), from the root ר־ק־ע (r-q-`); in Classical Syriac the similar root ܪ-ܩ-ܥ (r-q-ʿ) (“relating to compacting”) gave rise to ܪܩܝܥܐ (rəqīʿā, “compact; firm; firmament, heavens, sky; celestial sphere”).
From Middle English galaxye, galaxie, from Old French galaxie, from Latin galaxias, from Ancient Greek γαλαξίας (galaxías, “Milky Way”), from γάλα (gála, “milk”). See also Milky Way.
From Ancient Greek ἡλιακός (hēliakós, “of the sun”) + -al. Appears in English first in the 16th century. See also heliacal rising. Anagram: achillea.
ἥλιος: From Proto-Hellenic *hāwélios, from a pre-Hellenic or later Proto-Indo-European *sāwélios, from Proto-Indo-European *sóh₂wl̥. Cognate with Old Church Slavonic слъньцє (slŭnĭce), Latin sol, Sanskrit सूर (sūra) and सूर्य (sūrya) and स्वर् (svar), Avestan 𐬵𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭 (huuar), Persian خور (xwar).
From Old French orizon, via Latin horizōn, from Ancient Greek ὁρίζων (horízōn), from ὅρος (hóros, “boundary”).
Borrowed from Middle French horoscope, from Medieval Latin horoscopus, from Ancient Greek ὡροσκόπος (hōroskópos), from ὥρα (hṓra, “any limited time”) + σκοπός (skopós, “watcher”).
From Middle English illuminaten, borrowed from Latin illūminātum, supine of illūminō (“lighten, light up, show off”), from in + lūminō (“light up”), from lūmen (“light”). Cognate with Old English lȳman (“to glow, shine”). More at leam. See also enlighten, illuminance, illustration, luminance.
From Latin Iūpiter (“father Jove”), from Proto-Italic *djous patēr (literally “sky father”) (cognate with Ancient Greek Ζεῦ πάτερ (Zeû páter, “father Zeus”)), from *djous (“day, sky”) + *patēr (“father”), from Proto-Indo-European *dyḗws (literally “the bright one”), from *dyew- (“to be bright, day sky”), and *ph₂tḗr (“father”). Doublet of Dyaus Pita.
Borrowed from Latin lūx (“light”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- (“white; light; bright”). Cognates include Ancient Greek λευκός (leukós, “white, blank, light, bright, clear”), Ancient Greek λύκη (lúkē, “light, morning twilight”), Sanskrit रोचते (rocate), Middle Persian 𐭩𐭥𐭬 (rōz, “day”) and Old English lēoht (noun) (English light).
From Middle French météore, from Old French, from Latin meteorum, from Ancient Greek μετέωρον (metéōron), from μετέωρος (metéōros, “raised from the ground, hanging, lofty”), from μετά (metá, “in the midst of, among, between”) (English meta) + ἀείρω (aeírō, “to lift, to heave, to raise up”). See also meteor shower.
The original sense of “atmospheric phenomenon” gave rise to meteorology, but the meaning of "meteor" is now restricted to extraterrestrial objects burning up as they enter the atmosphere.
From Middle English Milky Wey, a calque of Latin Via Lactea (literally “milky road”), referring to its appearance as a pale band of stars across the sky. Compare also Old English Īringes weġ (“Milky Way”), Old Norse Mjólkrhringr (“Milky Way”, literally “milk-ring, milk-circle”). See also galaxy.
From Middle English Mone, mone, from Old English mōna, from Proto-Germanic *mēnô, from Proto-Indo-European *mḗh₁n̥s (“moon, month”), from *meh₁- (“to measure”)
From Middle English Neptune, Neptunus, a borrowing from Latin Neptūnus, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *nébʰ-tu-s (“damp, cloudy”) (source of Ancient Greek νέφος (néphos), Sanskrit नभस् (nábhas), etc.), with the sense of "wet, moist."
Puhvel, however, connects it with Proto-Italic *nepōts from Proto-Indo-European *népōts by analogy to Portūnus, cognate with Vedic Apām Napāt and Avestan Apąm Napāt, Child (cf: neve, nephew) of the Water as part of an Indo-European 'Fire in the Water' myth.
The noun is derived from Middle English orient, oriente, oryent, oryente, oryentte (“the east direction; eastern horizon or sky; eastern regions of the world, Asia, Orient; eastern edge of the world”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman orient, oriente, and Old French orient (“east direction; Asia, Orient”) (modern French orient), or directly from its etymon Latin oriēns (“the east; daybreak, dawn; sunrise; (participle) rising; appearing; originating”), present active participle of orior (“to get up, rise; to appear, become visible; to be born, come to exist, originate”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃er- (“to move, stir; to rise, spring”).
The adjective is derived from Middle English orient (“eastern; from Asia or the Orient; brilliant, shining (characteristic of jewels from the Orient)”), from Middle English orient (noun); see above.
orior: From Proto-Italic *orjōr, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃er- (“to stir, rise”). Cognate with Ancient Greek ὄρνῡμι (órnūmi), Sanskrit ऋणोति (ṛṇóti).
From Middle English periode, from Middle French periode, from Medieval Latin periodus, from Ancient Greek περίοδος (períodos, “circuit, an interval of time, path around”), from περί- (perí-, “around”) + ὁδός (hodós, “way”). Displaced native Middle English tide (“interval, period, season”), from Old English tīd (“time, period, season”), Middle English elde (“age, period”), from Old English ieldu (“age, period of time”). See also season, tide.
From Middle English planete, from Old French planete, from Latin planeta, planetes, from Ancient Greek πλανήτης (planḗtēs, “wanderer”) (ellipsis of πλάνητες ἀστέρες (plánētes astéres, “wandering stars”)), from Ancient Greek πλανάω (planáō, “wander about, stray”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Latin pālor (“wander about, stray”), Old Norse flana (“to rush about”), and Norwegian flanta (“to wander about”). More at flaunt. Perhaps it is from a nasalized form of PIE root *pele- (2) "flat; to spread," on the notion of "spread out," "but the semantics are highly problematic," according to Beekes, who notes the similarity of meaning to Greek plazein "to make devious, repel, dissuade from the right path, bewilder," but adds, "it is hard to think of a formal connection." So called because they have apparent motion, unlike the "fixed" stars. Originally including also the moon and sun but not the Earth; modern scientific sense of "world that orbits a star" is from 1630s in English. The Greek word is an enlarged form of planes, planetos "who wanders around, wanderer," also "wandering star, planet," in medicine "unstable temperature." See also fixed star, star, wandering star.
From Late Latin plasma (literally “mold”), from Ancient Greek πλάσμα (plásma, “something formed”). See also star.
From Middle English revolucion, borrowed from Old French revolucion, from Late Latin revolūtiōnem, accusative singular of revolūtiō (“the act of revolving; revolution”), from Latin revolvō (“roll back, revolve”). See also period, planet, season.
From Latin sagittārius (“archer”). See also passage, presage, sage.
sagittārius: From sagitta (“arrow”) + -ārius (suffix forming relational adjectives and agent nouns).
sagitta: Unknown etymology. Probably from a pre-Latin Mediterranean language. Related to sāgiō (“to perceive quickly or keenly”).
sāgiō: From Proto-Italic *sāgiō, from Proto-Indo-European *séh₂gyeti (“to seek out, to track”). Cognate with Ancient Greek ἡγέομαι (hēgéomai, “I guide, lead”), Gothic 𐍃𐍉𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (sōkjan), Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌺𐌰𐌽 (sakan), and English seek.
From Middle English sesoun, seson (“time of the year”), from Old French seson, saison (“time of sowing, seeding”), from Latin satiō (“act of sowing, planting”) from satum, past participle of serō (“to sow, plant”) from Proto-Indo-European *seh₁- (“to sow, plant”). Akin to Old English sāwan (“to sow”), sǣd (“seed”). Displaced native Middle English sele (“season”) (from Old English sǣl (“season, time, occasion”)), Middle English tide (“season, time of year”) (from Old English tīd (“time, period, yeartide, season”)). See also seed.
From Middle English seed, sede, side, from Old English sēd, sǣd (“seed, that which is sown”), from Proto-West Germanic *sād, from Proto-Germanic *sēdą, from Proto-Indo-European *seh₁- (“to sow, throw”). Cognate with West Frisian sied (“seed”), Dutch zaad (“seed”), Low German Saad (“seed”), German Saat (“sowing; seed”), Icelandic sæði (“seed”), Danish sæd (“seed”), Swedish säd (“seed”), Latin satiō (“seeding, time of sowing, season”). More at sow. See also season.
From Latin sideratus, past participle of siderari (“to be blasted by a constellation”), from sidus, sideris (“a constellation”). See also consider, consideration, sideration, sidereal.
From Latin sīdereus, from sīdus (“star”). See also desire, siderated, sidereal astrology, sidereal time, sidereal year.
sīdus: Compare Ancient Greek σίδηρος (sídēros). Some derive this from Proto-Indo-European *sweid-, whence Latin sūdor, Greek ἱδρώς (hidrṓs), English sweat.
σίδηρος: Unclear and debated. One view compares it with Latin sīdus (“constellation, meteorite”), with this possibly related to Proto-Indo-European *sweyd- (“to sweat”), whence Latin sūdor (“sweat, moisture”), Ancient Greek ἱδρώς (hidrṓs, “sweat, perspiration”), English sweat. Another theory compares it with Udi zido (“iron”), indicating a Northeast Caucasian loanword. Finally, the word is very likely of Pre-Greek origin given its semantics, which has been compared with Ancient Greek σίδη (sídē, “pomegranate”), linked to the reconstruction *sida "red" thereby giving the meaning of σίδηρος (sídēros) as "red metal" (perhaps in relation to its red oxide ores and minerals).
From Middle English signe, sygne, syng, seine, sine, syne, from Old English seġn (“sign; mark; token”) and Old French signe, seing (“sign; mark; signature”); both from Latin signum (“a mark; sign; token”); root uncertain. Doublet of signum. Partially displaced native token. See also constellation, symbol.
signum: From Proto-Italic *seknom, from Proto-Indo-European *sek- (“to cut”) or *sekʷ- (“to follow”).
From Middle English spere, from Old French sphere, from Late Latin sphēra, earlier Latin sphaera (“ball, globe, celestial sphere”), from Ancient Greek σφαῖρα (sphaîra, “ball, globe”), of unknown origin. Not related to superficially similar Persian سپهر (sepehr, “sky”). See also cycle, sapphire, wheel, zodiac.
As a verb, from Middle English springen (“to burst or flow forth, to sprout, to emerge, to happen, to become known, to sprinkle”), from Old English springan (“to burst or flow forth, to sprout, to emerge, to become known”), cognate with Afrikaans spring, West Frisian springe, Dutch & German springen, Danish springe, Swedish springa. Further etymology is uncertain, but usually taken to derive from a Proto-Germanic verb reconstructed as *springaną (“to burst forth”), from a Proto-Indo-European root reconstructed *sperǵʰ- whose other descendants may include Lithuanian spreñgti (“to push (in)”), Old Church Slavonic прѧсти (pręsti, “to spin, to stretch”), Latin spargere (“to sprinkle, to scatter”), Ancient Greek σπέρχω (spérkhō, “to hasten”), Sanskrit स्पृहयति (spṛháyati, “to be eager”). Some newer senses derived from the noun.
As a noun, from Middle English spring (“a wellspring, tide, branch, sunrise, kind of dance or blow, ulcer, snare, flock”), from Old English spring (“wellspring, ulcer”) and Old English spryng (“a jump”), from ablaut forms of the Proto-Germanic verb. Further senses derived from the verb and from clippings of day-spring, springtime, spring tide, etc. Its sense as the season, first attested in a work predating 1325, gradually replaced Old English lencten (“spring, Lent”) as that word became more specifically liturgical. Compare fall. See also equinox, vernal equinox.
From Middle English sterre, from Old English steorra (“star”), from Proto-West Germanic *sterrō, variant of *sternō, from Proto-Germanic *sternô, *sternǭ (“star”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂stḗr (“star”). Doublet of aster. See also fixed star, planet, plasma, shooting star, wandering star.
From Middle English sunne, from Old English sunna, sunne (“sun; the Sun”), from Proto-Germanic *sunnǭ, from the heteroclitic inanimate Proto-Indo-European *sh₂wén-, oblique form of *sóh₂wl̥ (“sun; the Sun”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Sunne, West Frisian sinne, Dutch zon, Old Dutch sunna, German Low German Sünn, Old Saxon sunna, German Sonne, Old High German sunna, Faroese sunna, Icelandic sunna, Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐌽𐍉 (sunnō). More at sun.
From French symbole, from Latin symbolus, symbolum (“a sign, mark, token, symbol, in Late Latin also a creed”), from Ancient Greek σύμβολον (súmbolon, “a sign by which one infers something; a mark, token, badge, ticket, tally, check, a signal, watchword, outward sign”), from συμβάλλω (sumbállō, “I throw together, dash together, compare, correspond, tally, come to a conclusion”), from σύν (sún, “with, together”) + βάλλω (bállō, “I throw, put”). See also constellation, sign.
From Middle English tyde, tide, tyd, tid, from Old English tīd (“time”), from Proto-Germanic *tīdiz (“time”), from Proto-Indo-European *déh₂itis (“time”), from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- (“to divide”). Related to time.
Tropical
From Late Latin tropicus (“of or pertaining to the solstice, as a noun, one of the tropics”), from Ancient Greek τροπικός (tropikós, “of or pertaining to a turn or change; or the solstice; or a trope or figure; tropic; tropical; etc.”), from τροπή (tropḗ, “turn; solstice; trope”). See also tropical astrology, tropical year.
From Middle English whele, from Old English hwēol, from Proto-Germanic *hwehwlą, *hweulō (compare West Frisian tsjil, Dutch wiel, Danish hjul), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷekʷlóm, *kʷékʷlos, *kʷékʷléh₂ (compare Tocharian B kokale (“cart, wagon”), Ancient Greek κύκλος (kúklos, “cycle, wheel”), Avestan 𐬗𐬀𐬑𐬭𐬀 (caxra), Sanskrit चक्र (cakrá)), reduplication of *kʷel- (“to turn”) and a suffix (literally "(the thing that) turns and turns"; compare Latin colō (“to till, cultivate”), Tocharian A and Tocharian B käl- (“to bear; bring”), Ancient Greek πέλω (pélō, “to come into existence, become”), Old Church Slavonic коло (kolo, “wheel”), Albanian sjell (“to bring, carry, turn around”), Avestan 𐬗𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬌 (caraiti, “it circulates”), Sanskrit चरति (cárati, “it moves, wanders”)). Doublet of charkha, cycle and chakra. See also cycle, sphere, zodiac.
From Middle English cenyth, from Medieval Latin cenit, from Arabic سَمْت (samt, “direction, path”), from the fuller form سَمْت اَلرَّأْس (samt ar-raʾs, “direction of the head”). The -ni- for -m- is sometimes thought to be due to a misreading of the three strokes, which is plausible, though it could be a mere phonetic approximation.
From Middle English zodiak (late 14th century), from Old French zodiaque, from Latin zōdiacus, from Ancient Greek ζῳδιακός [κύκλος] (zōidiakós [kúklos], “[circle] of little animals”), from ζῴδιον (zṓidion), the diminutive of ζῷον (zôion, “animal”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷíh₃weti (“to live”). See also cycle, sphere, wheel.