Astrology Dictionary

Below is a non-exhaustive list of astrological terms. I say non-exhaustive because I may have missed some terms. Additionally, as time progresses, more terms may be coined. If you can think of anything I’ve missed, please just leave a comment below and I’ll make sure to include them in my next update. I normally look over this list once every six months or so.

A

Air: One of the four elements. The air signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. 

Aldebaran: A fixed star located in the constellation of Taurus (the bull). 

Almuten: The most influential planet in a specific area of the birth chart. 

Angle: The angle of the planets and points in relation to one another. 

Anti-vertex: A point opposite the Vertex in the birth chart. 

Aphelion: The point in a celestial body’s orbit when it is furthest away from the sun. 

Appulse: The alignment of celestial bodies. 

Aquarius: The eleventh sign of the zodiac sign. Ruled by Uranus and Saturn, it is associated with originality, eccentricity, innovation, and humanitarianism.

Aries: The first sign of the zodiac. Ruled by Mars, it is associated with assertiveness, leadership, action, and enthusiasm

Arc: The measurement of distance along the ecliptic, normally conveyed in degrees. 

Ascendant: The zodiac sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the time of birth. It governs first impressions, outward personality and physical appearance. It’s also referred to as the Rising sign. 

Asteroid: A celestial body

Astronomy: The study of space and celestial objects. 

Astrocartography: The mapping of planetary positions at the time of one’s birth onto various geographic areas on Earth.

Astrological houses: The twelve zodiacal divisions, each representing the various different avenues of life.

Astrologer: A person who has studied astrology in a formal capacity and is qualified to practice it. 

Astrology: The study of the stars’ movements.

Astral: The plane above the earth.

Aspects: The relationships, measured in degrees, between planets or points in a birth chart.

Angular house: Describes the four key houses in a birth chart; the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th houses.

Auspicious: Referring to favorable or lucky astrological conditions or events.

Aversion: Few or no major aspects between two planets in the birth chart. 

B

Birth chart: Also called natal chart. A map of the sky at the time of one’s birth. 

Big five: The Sun sign, Moon sign, Mercury sign, Venus sign, and Mars sign.

Big three: The Sun sign, Moon sign, and the Ascendant. 

Black Moon Lilith: Also called True Lilith. A calculated point in the birth chart. It indicates the most challenging areas of one’s life.

Bucket: A patten in the birth chart which looks like a bucket. It is formed when most of the planets are located in one hemisphere. The planet which is located outside looks like the “handle” of the bucket. 

C

Cazimi: When a planet is extremely close to the sun. 

Capricorn: The tenth sign of the zodiac. It is associated with work, career, public image, material success, patience, and perseverance. 

Cardinal: One of the three modalities. The Cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn. 

Conjunction: Also called conjunct. 

Composite: A chart created by combining the midpoints within two people’s birth charts to analyze their personal dynamics. 

Comet: An astronomical body with an irregular orbit. Not commonly noted by astrologers. 

Conjunct: An aspect that is formed when two celestial bodies are in close proximity and share the same degree. 

Ceres: A comet. It is associated with nurturing, care, intuition, and cycles of growth. 

Celestial: Anything that is connected to the sky; stars, planets, comets, asteroids, and other bodies located within it. 

Chronology: The sequence and timing of events as influenced by the movement of the planets in the birth chart. 

Cartography: See astrocartography. 

Chiron: Also called the Wounded Healer. 

Cusp: The transitional area between two signs. 

D

Dark Moon Lilith: A point in the orbit of the Moon. It is associated with primal instincts, independence, and raw female energy. 

Debility: A state of weakness that a planet may experience when placed in certain places in a birth chart. 

Decan: A subdivision of a zodiac sign into three equal parts, each ruled by a different planet. 

Descendant: The sign on the 7th house. 

Dignity: Refers to a planet’s strength. 

Direct: The forward motion of a planet in its orbit around the Sun. It is perceived to move in the same direction as Earth. 

Domicile: When a planet is in the sign it rules. It is considered to a position of strength. 

E

Earth: One of the four elements. The earth signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. 

Eagle: The middle sign within the sign of Scorpio. 

Ephemeris: A table that shows the daily positions of celestial bodies. It is a reference for astrologers to create accurate birth charts and follow the movements of the heavens. 

Equal House system: A house division system. Each house spans an equal 30 degrees of the zodiac. It starts from the Ascendant. 

Empty house: A house without one or more planets located in it.

Elements: The basic building blocks of the signs — Fire, Earth, Air, and Water.  

Eros: An asteroid. It is associated with dating, passion, carnal desire, romance, love and casual relationships. 

F

Fan: An aspect pattern formed when planets are connected by many inconjunct aspects. It appears fan shaped. 

Feminine: The qualities associated with introversion. 

Fire: One of the four elements. The fire signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. 

Fixed: One of the three modalities. The fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius. 

G

Generational planets: These are Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. They are slow-moving planets which take many years to transit each of the signs. 

Grand Cross: An aspect pattern formed when four planets or birth chart points form square aspects with each other, appearing as a cross in the birth chart. 

Grand Trine: An aspect pattern formed when three planets or birth chart points are evenly spaced in a triangle arrangement. 

H

Horoscope: Forecast deciphered by interpreting the position of the planets and houses at a specific time, most often an individual’s birth date.

Horary: A certain type of astrology which answers very specific questions. For instance, “Will I be happy with this career?”.

Houses: The twelve sectors of the birth chart, each of which represent the different areas of life.

Hyleg: One’s vitality and long-term wellbeing.

Hygiea: How one maintains health and their overall wellbeing.

I

Imum Coeli (IC): Meaning “bottom of the sky” in Latin. Also called the Nadir. It indicates the point at the bottom of the birth chart. It is associated with one’s beginnings in life. 

Inconjunct: Also called Quincunx. A minor aspect pattern formed when two planets are approximately 150 degrees apart. 

Inner planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars. 

Intercepted: A sign that can not be found on the cusp of any house. 

Ingress: The moment when a planet moves into a new sign or house.

J

Juno: An asteroid. It is associated with relationships and marriage. 

Jupiter: The fifth planet from the sun. It is associated with spirituality, expansion, success, luck, and joy. 

K

NOTHING IS CURRENTLY LISTED

L

Leo: The fifth sign in the zodiac. It is associated with fun, play, children, creativity, and enthusiasm. 

Libra: The seventh sign in the zodiac. It is associated with beauty, harmony, balance, justice, and the arts. 

Lilith: An Asteroid; 1181 Lilith. Not commonly used in astrology. 

Longitude: The distance of a celestial body along the ecliptic, measured in degrees. It indicates its location with a sign or house.

Luminary: The Sun or Moon. Both of these celestial bodies light up the sky above the Earth. 

Lunar: Latin for Moon. It refers to anything that is related to the moon. 

Lunar nodes: Points where the Moon’s orbit intersects the ecliptic. The North Node suggests where someone’s spiritual purpose in life. The South Node suggests where one has come from, either earlier in this life, or in their past life.

Lunation: The complete cycle of the moon; the monthly lunar cycle. 

M

Mars: The fourth planet from the sun. It is associated with energy,  intensity, action, war, desire, and instinct. 

Masculine: The qualities associated with extroversion. 

Medium Coeli: See Midheaven below. 

Mercury: The planet closest to the sun. It is associated with mental processes, mental agility, logic, and reasoning. 

Midheaven: Also known as the 10th house or Medium Coeli (MC). It is associated with career, public image, work, and personal finances. 

Midpoint: A calculated point in the birth chart. 

Moon: Considered a planet in astrology. It is associated with emotion, the subconscious, dreams, instincts, and intuition. 

Mutable: The quality of a sign. It indicates flexibility, adaptability, and change. 

N

Natal chart: See birth chart.

Neptune: The eighth planet from the sun. It is associated with dreams, the subconscious mind, spirituality, creativity, and illusions. 

Node: See lunar nodes. 

North node: Also called True Node. See lunar nodes. 

Novile: A minor aspect pattern formed when two planets are approximately 40 degrees apart. 

O

Ophiuchus: Also referred to as the “Serpent Bearer”. Viewed as the thirteenth sign of the zodiac. It is not used in Western astrology. 

Opposition: A major aspect pattern that occurs when two planets are approximately 180 degrees apart. 

Outer planets: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. They are associated with generational influences. 

P

Pallas: Also referred to as Pallas Athena. 

Part of Fortune: Pars Fortunae in Latin. An Arabic part in astrology. It is a calculated point in the birth chart. It is the point where the Sun, Moon, and Ascendant align. It indicates personal fortune and overall life satisfaction. 

Personal planets: 

Phoenix: The highest version of the sign of Scorpio. 

Pisces: The twelfth sign of the zodiac. Ruled by planet Neptune. Associated with emotion, compassion, beauty, and intuition. 

Planetary rulership: The assignment of signs to particular planets. 

Pluto: No longer officially classed as a planet, however, still a planet in astrology. The furthest planet from the Sun in our solar system. Associated with war, the underworld, and intuition. 

Placidus system: Also called the Tropical Placidus system. A widely used house division system. 

Q

Quadruplicity: The classification of the signs into four groups; Cardinal, Fixed, and Mutable.

Quincunx : See Inconjunct.

R

Reception: The relationship between two planets where one is in a sign ruled by the other, increasing its influence. 

Rectification: The process of adjusting the time of birth to align with a slightly different birth chart in order to improve accuracy. 

Retrograde: The perceived reverse movement of a planet. It is associated with introspection and reflection. 

Rising sign: The sign that was rising over our planet at the time of birth. 

S

Sagittarius: The ninth sign in the zodiac. Ruled by Jupiter. It is associated with optimism, success, freedom, and expansion. 

Saturn: The sixth planet from the sun. It is associated with diligence, perseverance, patience, and success. 

Scorpio: The eighth sign in the zodiac. Ruled by Pluto and Mars. It is associated with intensity, healing, passion, and transformation. 

Scorpion: The lowest sign in the three signs within the sign of

See-saw: An aspect pattern characterized by planets with opposing qualities distributed on either side of the birth chart. 

Semi-sextile: A minor aspect pattern formed when two planets are approximately 30 degrees apart. 

Semi-square: A minor aspect pattern formed when two planets are approximately 45 degrees apart. 

Sextile: A major aspect pattern formed when two planets are approximately 60 degrees apart. 

South Node: Also called Mean Node. See lunar nodes. 

Square: An aspect formed when two planets are approximately 90 degrees apart. 

Stellium: When three or more planets are closely grouped in the same sign or house, increasing their influence. 

Sun: The Sun is associated with core identity, vitality, and the ego. 

Synastry: The aspects formed between the birth charts of two people. Used to assess their dynamics. 

Synodic: The cycle of a celestial body, such as the Sun or Moon from one connection to the next. 

T

Taurus: The second sign in the zodiac. Ruled by planet Venus. It is associated with beauty, patience, graciousness, and work. 

T-Square: An aspect pattern formed by three planets or chart points which look like the letter “T”. 

Transit: The current position of a celestial body in relation to a natal planet or chart point. 

Trine: An aspect formed when two planets are approximately 120 degrees apart. 

U

Unaspected: A planet that forms no major aspects to any other planets in the birth chart. 

Uranus: The seventh planet from the sun. In astrology, it is associated with innovation, originality, change, and rebellion. 

V

Via Combusta: Latin for “fiery road”. The zodiacal stretch between 15 degrees Libra and 15 degrees Scorpio. 

Venus: The second planet from the Sun. In astrology, it is associated with romance, love, harmony, pleasure, and beauty.

Vertex: A calculated point in the birth chart. 

Vesta: An asteroid. 

Virgo: The sixth sign of the zodiac system. Represented by the Virgin. 

Void of Course (VOC): When the Moon makes no major aspects with any other planets before moving into the next zodiac sign.  

W

Waldemath Lilith: A calculated point in the birth chart related to the Moon’s orbit.

Water signs: The signs which fall under the element of water. These are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. 

Whole sign system: A House system which assigns each house an entire zodiac sign. It begins with the sign on the Ascendant. 

X

Xanthic: A yellow or golden hue. Used to describe the color of celestial bodies. Not exclusive to astrology. 

Y

Yod: Also known as the Finger of God. An aspect pattern formed by two planets that are in sextile (meaning 60 degrees) making a quincunx (meaning 150 degrees) to a third planet. 

Z

Zodiac: Also referred to as the zodiac system. A perceived belt in the sky divided into twelve parts, each containing a constellation through which the planets appear to move. 

Zodiac sign: Also referred to as star sign, astrological sign, or just sign. One of twelve astrological divisions in the sky above Earth. 

If you have a word and definition you would like to submit, or comment on something, please leave a message below.

Updated to include “Ephemeris” and “Void of Course (V.O.C.)” on 20/01/2026

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