astronomy

astronomy
\ \ [13] Astronomy comes via Old French and Latin from Greek astronomíā, a derivative of the verb astronomein, literally ‘watch the stars’. Greek ástron and astérstar’ (whence English astral [17] and asterisk [17]) came ultimately from the Indo-European base *ster-, which also produced Latin stellastar’, German sternstar’, and English star. The second element of the compound, which came from the verb némein, meant originally ‘arrange, distribute’.
\ \ At first, no distinction was made between astronomy and astrology. Indeed, in Latin astrologia was the standard term for the study of the stars until Seneca introduced the Greek term astronomia. When the two terms first coexisted in English (astrology entered the language about a century later than astronomy) they were used interchangeably, and in fact when a distinction first began to be recognized between the two it was the opposite of that now accepted: astrology meant simply ‘observation’, whereas astronomy signified ‘divination’. The current assignment of sense was not fully established until the 17th century.
\ \ Cf.ASTERISK, ASTRAL, STAR

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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