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Where does the word "astronomy" come from? It comes from Greek astronomia, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "astronomy" come from? It comes from Greek astronomia, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).
Astronomy’s story begins in Greek: astronomia meant “star arrangement.” Greek, 'astron', star, plus 'nomos', law. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as astronomie. Came via Latin 'astronomia'. It reached English by 1200s as astronomy. Split from astrology in the 1600s. Today, astronomy means the study of stars and planets.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient astronomia "star arrangement", Greek, 'astron', star, plus 'nomos', law.
- Stage 2 · Old French · medieval astronomie "astronomy", came via Latin 'astronomia'.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s astronomy "study of stars", split from astrology in the 1600s.