What does astrology mean?
Astrology is the practice or study of interpreting the positions and movements of celestial bodies — the sun, moon, planets and stars — as a means of understanding or predicting human affairs and earthly events. Practitioners, called astrologers, typically construct charts based on the sky at a particular moment, most famously the moment of a person's birth, and interpret them through systems such as the zodiac. Once regarded across many cultures as a legitimate branch of knowledge closely linked to medicine and natural philosophy, astrology gradually lost scientific standing as astronomy developed into an evidence-based discipline, and today it is widely classified as a pseudoscience even though it remains culturally popular. The word appears frequently in everyday contexts — horoscopes, compatibility readings, discussions of zodiac signs — and often carries a tone ranging from casual amusement to genuine belief, or from scepticism in scientific writing. Understanding astrology also illuminates its etymological siblings: astronomy, asteroid, and disaster all share the same ancient Greek root meaning 'star'.
nounThe study or practice of interpreting the positions and movements of celestial bodies as a means of divining information about human affairs and terrestrial events.
- The divinatory practice of interpreting the positions of the sun, moon, planets and stars to draw conclusions about human personality, relationships, and future events.
- (Historical) A former branch of learning, closely tied to medicine and astronomy in the medieval and early modern periods, that treated celestial influence on earthly life as a serious field of study.
"She checked her horoscope every morning, convinced that astrology offered a glimpse into the day ahead."
"Her interest in astrology began with a casual read of her weekly horoscope."
"In medieval Europe, physicians consulted astrology before deciding when to treat a patient."
Rarely pluralised; used only when contrasting multiple distinct astrological traditions or systems.
"Comparative scholars have examined the astrologies of Babylon, India, and Mesoamerica."
Astrology and astronomy were once the same subject — Isaac Newton's era was arguably the last time you could study both without raising eyebrows.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of astrology
The word astrology derives from the Greek 'astron' (star) combined with '-logia' (study or discourse), passing into English via Latin 'astrologia'. It entered English in the late Middle Ages, initially denoting what we would now call astronomy as much as divination, since the two disciplines were not clearly distinguished for centuries. Its cognates include astronomy, asteroid, asterisk, and disaster — all built on the same Greek root for star.
Related word forms
How astrology is actually used
Generally neutral in register but often carries a sceptical connotation in scientific contexts, where it is contrasted with astronomy. Commonly discussed in relation to horoscopes, zodiac signs, and natal charts; the word is countable only rarely (e.g. referring to different systems such as 'Chinese astrology' vs 'Western astrology').
Easily confused with astrology
Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial objects and phenomena, whereas astrology is a belief system that claims celestial positions influence human affairs.