zodiacal, adj.

zodiacal
http://www.oed.com/dictionary/zodiacal_adj%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_use
First published 1921; not fully revised

# zodiacaladjective

## Earlier version

- zodiacal, a. in OED Second Edition (1989)

## Factsheet

### What does the adjective zodiacal mean?

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the adjective zodiacal. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

#### Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

### How common is the adjective zodiacal?

About 0.3occurrences per million words in modern written English

1750 | 0.042
1760 | 0.069
1770 | 0.11
1780 | 0.12
1790 | 0.18
1800 | 0.24
1810 | 0.25
1820 | 0.27
1830 | 0.35
1840 | 0.36
1850 | 0.39
1860 | 0.44
1870 | 0.45
1880 | 0.4
1890 | 0.39
1900 | 0.34
1910 | 0.3
1920 | 0.27
1930 | 0.28
1940 | 0.29
1950 | 0.29
1960 | 0.3
1970 | 0.29
1980 | 0.27
1990 | 0.25
2000 | 0.24
2010 | 0.24

### How is the adjective zodiacal pronounced?

#### British English

/zə(ʊ)ˈdʌɪəkl/
zoh-DIGH-uh-kuhl

#### U.S. English

/zoʊˈdaɪək(ə)l/
zoh-DIGH-uh-kuhl

### Where does the adjective zodiacal come from?

Earliest known use

late 1500s

The earliest known use of the adjective zodiacal is in the late 1500s.

OED's earliest evidence for zodiacal is from 1576, in a translation by Abraham Fleming, author, literary editor, and Church of England clergyman.

zodiacal is a borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element.

Etymons: Latin zōdiacus, ‑al suffix1.

### Nearby entries

1. zoanthropy, n. 1856–
2. zoanthus, n. 1841–
3. zoarial, adj. 1896–
4. zoarium, n. 1880–
5. zob, n. 1911–
6. zocalo, n. 1884–
7. zocco, n. 1664–1723
8. zocle, n. 1704–
9. zoco, n. 1892–
10. zodiac, n. 1390–
11. zodiacal, adj.1576–
12. zodiac line, n. 1590
13. zodiac ring, n. 1895–
14. zodiographer, n. 1650
15. zoea, n. 1828–
16. zoeal, adj.?1870–
17. zoetrope, n. 1866–
18. zographer, n. 1570
19. zography, n. 1570
20. zograscope, n. 1753–
21. Zohar, n. 1682–

## Etymology

### Summary

A borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element.
Etymons: Latin zōdiacus, ‑al suffix1.
< Latin zōdiacus: see zodiac n. and ‑al suffix1.

## Meaning & use

1. 1. a.
      1576–
      Of, pertaining to, or situated in the zodiac.
      1. 1576

         > The yerely course of the Sunne throgh the .12. signes Zodiacall.

         A. Fleming, translation of G. Macropedius in Panoplie of Epistles 372
      2. a1682

         > The Northern Zodiacal Signs.

         Sir T. Browne, Christian Morals (1716) iii. 121
      3. 1694

         > Before the full revolution of a Zodiacal Girdle [i.e. before the completion of a year].

         P. A. Motteux, translation of F. Rabelais, 5th Book of Works Philos. Cream 256
      4. 1715

         > By the help of the Moon,..they placed this Zodiacal Armilla in such a situation as was agreeable to the present moment of time.

         translation of D. Gregory, Elements of Astronomy vol. I. ii. §29. 304
      5. 1847

         > Pearson's [catalogue] has 520 zodiacal stars.

         W. Whewell, History of Inductive Science (revised edition) vol. II. 317
      6. 1878

         > The zodiacal constellations occupy quite unequal spaces in the heavens.

         S. Newcomb, Popular Astronomy i. i. 18
      astrology
      1. zodiacal 1576–
         Of, pertaining to, or situated in the zodiac.
      2. signiferous 1598
         Of or relating to the zodiac. Cf. signifer, n. 1. rare.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
   2. b.
      1734–
      zodiacal light noun
      A tract of nebulous light extending along the zodiac on each side of the sun in the form of an elongated ellipse; in the temperate zones visible chiefly after sunset in late winter and early spring, and before sunrise in autumn.
      1. 1734

         > The Zodiacal Light is the purer unmixed Atmosphere of the Sun.

         J. Eames in Philosophical Transactions 1733–4 (Royal Society) vol. 38 244
      2. 1849

         > [Professor Olmsted] agrees with La Place in thinking that the zodiacal light is a nebulous body, revolving in the plane of the solar equator.

         M. Somerville, On Connexion of Physical Science (ed. 8) xxxvii. 449
      3. 1876

         > The zodiacal light, which obviously cannot possibly be part of the gaseous atmosphere of the sun.

         P. G. Tait, Lectures on Recent Advances in Physical Science x. 259
      4. 1879

         > The Zodiacal light is supposed to be the remains of the great nebula out of which the solar system was constructed.

         Cassell's Technical Educator (new edition) vol. IV. 411/2
      astronomy
      1. evening glade 1689–1714
         The zodiacal light, seen after sunset.
      2. zodiacal light 1734–
         A tract of nebulous light extending along the zodiac on each side of the sun in the form of an elongated ellipse; in the temperate zones visible…
      3. sunglow 1828–
         The glow or light of the sun; sunlight, sunshine.
      View in Historical Thesaurus
      1. zodiacal light 1734–
         A tract of nebulous light extending along the zodiac on each side of the sun in the form of an elongated ellipse; in the temperate zones visible…
      View in Historical Thesaurus

## Pronunciation

### British English

/zə(ʊ)ˈdʌɪəkl/
zoh-DIGH-uh-kuhl

### U.S. English

/zoʊˈdaɪək(ə)l/
zoh-DIGH-uh-kuhl

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛtl/ but /ˈpɛtl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

##### Consonants

- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing

* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in

Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence /ˈpɛd(ə)l/ but /ˈpɛdl̩i/.

##### Vowels

- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)

##### Other symbols

- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.

View the pronunciation model here.

####

Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.

##### Consonants

b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values

- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige

##### Vowels

- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot

## Frequency

zodiacal typically occurs about 0.3 times per million words in modern written English.

zodiacal is in frequency band 4, which contains words occurring between 0.1 and 1 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands

Frequency data is computed programmatically, and should be regarded as an estimate.

### Frequency of zodiacal, adj., 1750–2010

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.

The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.

For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.

Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.

Decade | Frequency per million words
--- | ---
1750 | 0.042
1760 | 0.069
1770 | 0.11
1780 | 0.12
1790 | 0.18
1800 | 0.24
1810 | 0.25
1820 | 0.27
1830 | 0.35
1840 | 0.36
1850 | 0.39
1860 | 0.44
1870 | 0.45
1880 | 0.4
1890 | 0.39
1900 | 0.34
1910 | 0.3
1920 | 0.27
1930 | 0.28
1940 | 0.29
1950 | 0.29
1960 | 0.3
1970 | 0.29
1980 | 0.27
1990 | 0.25
2000 | 0.24
2010 | 0.24

### Frequency of zodiacal, adj., 2017–2024

* Occurrences per million words in written English

Modern frequency series are derived from a corpus of 20 billion words, covering the period from 2017 to the present. The corpus is mainly compiled from online news sources, and covers all major varieties of World English.

Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the corpus.

Period | Frequency per million words
--- | ---
2017 | 0.02
2018 | 0.02
2019 | 0.024
2020 | 0.024
2021 | 0.025
2022 | 0.025
2023 | 0.027
2024 | 0.023

## Compounds & derived words

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1. extra-zodiacal, adj. 1686–
   Situated outside the zodiac.

zodiacal, adj. was first published in 1921; not fully revised.

zodiacal, adj. was last modified in June 2024.