Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Astrology |
AstrologyNoun1. A pseudoscience claiming divination by the positions of the planets and sun and moon. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "astrology" was first used: sometime around 1375. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Literature | Astrology (See Diapason, Microcosm.). Source: Brewer's Dictionary. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Astrology refers to any of several systems of understanding, interpreting and organizing knowledge about reality and human existence, based on the relative positions and movement of various real and construed celestial bodies, chiefly the Sun, Moon, planets, and lunar nodes as seen at the time and place of a birth or other event being studied. Common forms of astrology include Western astrology, Chinese astrology, Jyotish (vedic astrology) and Kabbalistic astrology. Western astrology is based on the tropical zodiac, while Jyotish is based on the sidereal zodiac.
Astrology is not the same as astronomy. Astronomers are often dismayed at being confused with their counterparts in astrology. Because they regard it as not adhering to standards of the scientific method mainstream Western scientists commonly consider astrology as a pseudoscience. Most astrologers, however, respect the knowledge gained from astronomy, and often incorporate it in their ideas.
Astrology was once deeply intertwined with astronomy, and a firm distinction between the two dates back only to the time of Galileo. He was one of the first to use the scientific method to test objective statements about the heavens by, for instance, using telescopic observations to show that astronomical bodies such as the sun and moon had markings on them, rather than being perfect, featureless spheres as maintained by Aristotle.
Astronomy aims to understand the physical workings of the universe, something of no particular interest to astrologers. Astrology, by contrast, attempts to draw connections between the physical motions of heavenly bodies and various events on earth, notably in the personal lives of individuals.
Many prominent figures in the early history of western astronomy, including Johannes Kepler and Galileo himself, also supported themselves by practising astrology for wealthy noblemen. Isaac Newton is sometimes cited as having an interest on astrology, but the proposed evidence does not stand up to close examination. There is not a single word recorded in Newton's hand that mentions the subject, and the handful of books in his possession that contained references to astrology were primarily concerned with other subjects.
There are some biological phenomena that are influenced by celestial movements (e.g. circadian rhythms, see Chronobiology). These results do not prove or disprove astrological claims, but suggest influences not fully understood. Scientific attempts to prove astrological influence have yielded negative or inconclusive results, for disputed reasons. Scientists would say astrology has no foundation in reality, and therefore cannot be proven. Astrologers would say scientists have designed the studies poorly because of an inadequate understanding of astrology.
Astrological concepts are pervasive in many societies, and endure despite strong efforts by scientists to discredit them. This is evidenced by the fact that influenza was so named because doctors once believed it to be caused by unfavorable planetary and stellar influences.
See also: Horoscope, The Mars effect, Michel Gauquelin
External links
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Astrology."
Synonym: AstrologySynonym: star divination (n). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Prediction | Astrology, horoscopy, judicial astrology. |
Reasoning, | Noun: intuition, instinct, association, hunch, gut feeling; presentiment, premonition; rule of thumb; superstition; astrology; faith (supposition). |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Astrology |
| English words defined with "astrology": astrological, Astrologize ♦ Chaldean ♦ Figure flinging ♦ Genethlialogy ♦ Hermetic books ♦ Occult sciences ♦ Starcraft, Stargasing, Star-read. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "astrology": Hermetic Powder, Hylech ♦ meme plague ♦ Planets ♦ responsibility. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "astrology": Star-read. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | A quick reminder these reports are not intended to foster belief in astrology, but merely to support people who cannot take responsibility for their own lives. (The Kentucky Fried Movie; writing credit: Jim Abrahams; David Zucker) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Sex and Astrology (1971) The Brown's Study Astrology (1913) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
Books |
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Periodicals |
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Theater & Movies | |||
Music |
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High Tech |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit |  | [The humors, astrology, and bloodletting]. Credit: National Library of Medicine. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
| Author | Quotation |
Voltaire | Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy; the mad daughter of a wise mother. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | RESPONSIBILITY, n. A detachable burden easily shifted to the shoulders of God, Fate, Fortune, Luck or one's neighbor. In the days of astrology it was customary to unload it upon a star. Alas, things ain't what we should see If Eve had let that apple be; And many a feller which had ought To set with monarchses of thought, Or play some rosy little game With battle-chaps on fields of fame, Is downed by his unlucky star And hollers: "Peanuts! -- here you are!" "The Sturdy Beggar" |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Astrology" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Astrology" is used about 133 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 100% | 133 | 27,614 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "astrology": electional astrology ♦ genethliacal astrology ♦ horary astrology ♦ judicial astrology ♦ mundane astrology ♦ natural astrology ♦ physiognomical astrology ♦ Vedic Astrology. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "astrology": astrology-prone. | |
Ending with "astrology": archaeo-astrology. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day | Expression | Frequency per Day |
astrology | 22,846 | susan miller astrology | 162 |
chinese astrology | 3,002 | astrology cancer | 161 |
astrology zone | 2,033 | free astrology report | 152 |
free astrology | 1,131 | keen astrology | 145 |
astrology horoscope | 1,090 | susan miller astrology zone | 140 |
yahoo astrology | 917 | astrology compatability | 135 |
astrology compatibility | 614 | free astrology reading | 129 |
free will astrology | 565 | astrology unlimited | 117 |
astrology sign | 534 | gemini astrology | 96 |
astrology chart | 417 | teen astrology | 95 |
astrology reading | 359 | astrology dating | 95 |
love astrology | 336 | astrology tattoo | 84 |
astrology msn | 311 | kelli fox astrology | 82 |
astrology report | 308 | sexual astrology | 82 |
indian astrology | 275 | hindu astrology | 82 |
free astrology chart | 255 | astrology matching | 81 |
astrology forecast | 254 | free astrology software | 81 |
vedic astrology | 250 | astrology numerology | 78 |
astrology software | 204 | astrology symbol | 75 |
astrology online | 184 | astrology leo | 74 |
astrology free compatibility | 74 | ||
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Translations for "astrology"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Afrikaans | astrologie. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | astrologji. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | علم التنجيم. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | астрология. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 星术 (Astrologic, Astrological, Astrologically). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | astrologie. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | astrologie, sterrenwichelarý. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esperanto | astrologio. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | ستاره شناسی (Astronomy, Uranology), علم احکام نجوم , طالع بینی (Astronomy). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | astrologia. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | astrologie. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | astrologie, Sterndeuterei. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | αστρολογία. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | תורת "מזלות, איצט' יות, אסטרולו'י". (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | csillagjóslás (nativity). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indonesian | astrologi, perbintangan (astronomy, constelation, horoscope). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | astrologia. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 星" . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | きゅうせいか (star reader), きゅうせいじゅつ (horoscopy), きゅうせい (acute, former home, former make, former manufacture, horoscope, old home, old nest, old order, old system, one's formername, salvation, sudden death), ほしうらない (horoscope), せ"せいじゅつ, アストロロジー . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 성 . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | planartys, far-rollageydys, faaishnys rollageagh, astroaylleeaght. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Papiamen | astrologia. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | astrologyay astrologia. (various references) astrologie. (various references) астрология. (various references) astrologija. (various references) astrología. (various references) astrologi. (various references) โหราศาสตร์. (various references) astroloji, yıldızbilim, yıldız falcılığı, müneccímlík. (various references) астрологія. (various references) thuật chiêm tinh. (various references) se+r-ddewiniaeth. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Greek | 700 BCE-300 CE | astrologia. (various references) |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | astrologia, mathematica. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Misspellings | |
"Astrology" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: antrology, astology, astrlogy, astrolgy, astroligy, astrolog, astrologi, astrologia, astrologie, astrologies, astroloty, atrology, autrology, osteology. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "astrology" (pronounced ustrÄ"lujē) |
| 7 | -t r Ä" l u j ē | petrology. |
| 6 | -r Ä" l u j ē | neurology, serology, virology. |
| 5 | -Ä" l u j ē | anesthesiology, anthology, anthropology, apology, archaeology, archeology, bacteriology, biology, biotechnology, cardiology, chronology, cosmetology, criminology, cytology, dendrochronology, dermatology, doxology, ecology, embryology, endocrinology, entomology, epidemiology, epistemology, ethnology, ethology, etiology, etymology, genealogy, geology, geomorphology, gerontology, graphology, gynecology, histology, Hymnology, ideology, immunology, kinesiology, limnology, meteorology, methodology, microbiology, micropaleontology, mineralogy, morphology, mycology, mythology, numerology, oncology, ontology, ophthalmology, ornithology, otology, paleontology, pathology, penology, pharmacology, physiology, Pomology, psychology, radiology, rheumatology, seismology, sociology, terminology, theology, toxicology, urology, zoology. |
| 4 | -l u j ē | analogy, cosmology, elegy, eulogy, trilogy. |
| 3 | -u j ē | prodigy, strategy. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-g-l-o-o-r-s-t-y" | |
-2 letters: galoots, goorals. | |
-3 letters: agorot, algors, argols, argosy, argots, galoot, gators, gloats, gooral, gorals, groats, largos, otalgy, royals, stylar, tolars. | |
-4 letters: algor, altos, argol, argot, artsy, aryls, gaols, gator, glary, gloat, glory, glost, goals, goats, goosy, goral, gorsy, grays, groat, grots, gyral, gyros, largo, logos, loots, lotas, lotos, lyart, ology, orals, ratos, roast, roost. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-g-l-o-o-r-s-t-y" | |
+3 letters: astrobiology, outrageously, papyrologist, parasitology. | |
+4 letters: martyrologies, martyrologist, papyrologists, proteoglycans. | |
+5 letters: astrologically, martyrologists, osmoregulatory. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Images: Photo Album 8. Quotations: Familiar | 9. Quotations: Non-fiction 10. Usage Frequency 11. Expressions 12. Expressions: Internet | 13. Translations: Modern 14. Translations: Ancient 15. Derivations 16. Rhymes | 17. Anagrams 18. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
