Zodiac Means Circle of Little Animals
The zodiac is a band of twelve constellations along the sun's path. The Greek name means circle of animals, from the same root as zoo.
The zodiac is the band of sky along which the sun appears to travel, divided into twelve signs. Its Greek name, *zodiakos kyklos*, means circle of little animals — from *zoion*, animal, the same root as *zoo* and *zoology*. Most of the signs are creatures; Libra, the scales, is the odd one out. The signs and the constellations no longer line up, because the Earth's axis has shifted since the system was fixed.
- The band of twelve signs. *Signs of the zodiac.*
- A sign. *Her zodiac sign is Leo.*
- Zodiacal — the adjective. *Zodiacal light.*
- Ecliptic — the sun's apparent path. *The ecliptic plane.*
- Chinese zodiac — a separate twelve-year animal cycle. *The year of the dragon.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | zodiac | The whole zodiac. |
| Adjective | zodiacal | Zodiacal constellations. |
| Greek | zoion | An animal. |
| Related | zoo | The city zoo. |
| Related | zoology | Marine zoology. |
- The zodiac has twelve traditional signs.Astrology.
- Zodiacal light is visible before dawn.Astronomy.
- Zoion means animal, as in zoo.Etymology.
Why the signs no longer match the stars
- Precession — the Earth's axis wobbles over about 26,000 years
- The signs were fixed more than two thousand years ago
- The drift is now roughly one whole sign
- Ophiuchus — a thirteenth constellation the sun passes through, never included
- Astronomers and astrologers treat this difference in quite different ways
Greek *zodiakos*, from *zodion*, a small animal figure, a diminutive of *zoion*, animal. English took it through Latin and French in the 1300s.
Why is the zodiac called a circle of animals?
Because most of its twelve signs are creatures. Libra, the scales, is the only inanimate one.
Do the zodiac signs match the constellations?
No longer. The Earth's axis has shifted by about one sign since the system was established.