English → Latin
“zodiac” in Latin
circuluscircle (geometric figure); orbit (circular path); ring; hoopsignifersign-bearing, image-bearing,; bearing the heavenly signs or constellations, starry
The English word zodiac itself goes back to Latin zōdiacus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
zodiac
orbis signifer (Cic., Div., 2, 42, 89): circulus signifer (Vitr., 6, 1, 1): circulus, qui signifer vocatur (Plin., 2, 4, 3); or simply signifer (id., 2, 10, 7): orbis in duodecim partes distributus (Cic., Tusc., 1, 2S, 68): orbis duodecim signorum (Cic., N.D., 2, 20, 53): limbus duodecim signorum (Varr., 2, 3, 7). ☞ The Greek Zodiacus is found only in later writers.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for zodiac?
- The usual Latin words for “zodiac” are circulus, signifer. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.