by Eugenia Manolidou
In the vast expanse of the cosmos (in Greek «κόσµος», meaning “order” or “jewel”), the Greeks found inspiration in the celestial bodies and created the word «ἄστρον» (ástron – meaning “star”).
You may not be surprised to learn that many, many words relating to space come from ancient Greece. Let’s see how this celestial connection unites language, culture and science! Today we’ll look at a few of them:
Astronomy
The term “astronomy” is the study of stars and celestial phenomena (the Greek «φαινόµενα» is pronounced exactly the same.) Derived from «ἄστρον» and «νόµος» (nómos – meaning “law” or “arrangement,”) astronomy explores the laws about the cosmos and evolved from ancient observations to a sophisticated field.
Telescope
The word «τηλεσκόπιον» (tilescópion, from «τῆλε», “far” and «σκοπῶ» “to look closely,”) helped astronomy tremendously with the invention of the telescope. This instrument allowed people to discover the details of stars and galaxies previously invisible to the naked eye.
Astrology
Beyond scientific exploration, the Greeks ventured into the mystical realm of “astrology” («ἀστρολογία»), where celestial bodies’ positions at birth are thought to influence events here on earth. The word “horoscope,” from «ὡροσκόπος» (hοroskόpos), combines “time” (ὥρα) with the same verb found in “telescope,” σκοπῶ, offering personalized insights into personality and future, based in celestial positions.
Even the word “disaster” finds its roots in the Greek “δύσαστρον” (dísastron), from “δύς” meaning “bad” and “ἄστρον” (we know what this term means! ), showing us that people believed that unfavorable events were influenced by the planets and the stars.
Greek-derived terms form a linguistic bridge to the world’s ever-lasting fascination with stars. From the precision of astronomy and the allure of astrology, to the capabilities of the telescope and the predictions of horoscopes, these terms shape our exploration and understanding of the cosmos.
So, the next time life takes an unexpected turn, one might playfully exclaim, “Blame it on the stars,” as appreciation to the enduring influence of celestial words on our human experience.