archaeoastronomy

American

[ahr-kee-oh-uh-stron-uh-mee] / ˌɑr ki oʊ əˈstrɒn ə mi /

Or archeoastronomy

noun

the branch of archaeology that deals with the apparent use by prehistoric civilizations of astronomical techniques to establish the seasons or the cycle of the year, especially as evidenced in the construction of megaliths and other ritual structures.

archaeoastronomy British

/ ˌɑːkɪəʊəˈstrɒnəmɪ /

noun

the scientific study of the beliefs and practices concerning astronomy that existed in ancient and prehistoric civilizations

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of archaeoastronomy

First recorded in 1970–75; archaeo- + astronomy

Example Sentences

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Along with such basics as German and calculus, the curriculum offers: > Archaeoastronomy -astromythology: Stonehenge, Mayan and Egyptian pyramids.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023