english word · 2026-08-26
Sidereal
adjective
Meaning
Pertaining to or determined by the position of the stars rather than the solar calendar. It describes a system of timekeeping or measurement based on the Earth's relationship to distant 'fixed' stars.
Etymology
From the Latin 'sidereus', meaning 'starry' or 'of the stars', derived from 'sidus', meaning a star or constellation.
Examples
"Because my chart uses the sidereal zodiac, my sun sign is actually in Pisces instead of Aries."
"The astronomer explained that a sidereal day is slightly shorter than a solar day because of how we measure the Earth's rotation against the stars."
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