Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Astrology"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Astrology \As*trol"o*gy\ ([a^]s*tr[o^]l"[-o]*j[y^]), n. [F.
astrologie, L. astrologia, fr. Gr. 'astrologi`a, fr.
'astrolo`gos astronomer, astrologer; 'asth`r star + lo`gos
discourse, le`gein to speak. See {Star}.]
In its etymological signification, the science of the stars;
among the ancients, synonymous with astronomy; subsequently,
the art of judging of the influences of the stars upon human
affairs, and of foretelling events by their position and
aspects.
Note: Astrology was much in vogue during the Middle Ages, and
became the parent of modern astronomy, as alchemy did
of chemistry. It was divided into two kinds: judicial
astrology, which assumed to foretell the fate and acts
of nations and individuals, and natural astrology,
which undertook to predict events of inanimate nature,
such as changes of the weather, etc.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
astrology
n : a pseudoscience claiming divination by the positions of the
planets and sun and moon [syn: {star divination}]
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