horoscope

American  

[hawr-uh-skohp, hor‑] / ˈhɔr əˌskoʊp, ˈhɒr‑ /

noun

1. a diagram of the heavens, showing the relative position of planets and the signs of the zodiac, for use in calculating births, foretelling events in a person's life, etc.

2. a prediction of future events or advice for future behavior based on such a diagram.

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horoscope British  

/ ˈhɒrəˌskəʊp, ˌhɒrəˈskɒpɪk /

noun

1. the prediction of a person's future based on a comparison of the zodiacal data for the time of birth with the data from the period under consideration

2. the configuration of the planets, the sun, and the moon in the sky at a particular moment

3. Also called: chart.  a diagram showing the positions of the planets, sun, moon, etc, at a particular time and place

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Other Word Forms

• horoscopic adjective
• unhoroscopic adjective

Etymology

Origin of horoscope

before 1050; Middle English, Old English horoscopus < Latin < Greek hōroskópos, equivalent to hōro-, combining form of hṓra hour + skópos -scope

Compare meaning

How does horoscope compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• horoscope vs. zodiac

Explanation

You can usually read your daily horoscope in the local newspaper. A horoscope is a forecast of your future based on the month in which you were born. Some people believe that a horoscope is a real way to divine the future; they think that traits and circumstances are determined from the position of the planets at the exact moment of a person's birth. Others enjoy reading their horoscopes just for fun. The word horoscope has a Greek root, hōroskopos, combining hōra, "time or hour," and skopos, "observer or watching." A horoscope, in other words, is something that watches the hour of one's birth.

Example Sentences

In the course of his travels, he heard John Calvin speak, had his horoscope read by Nostradamus and witnessed the French dauphin toss a small dog out of a high window.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

For most of my adult life, I have felt like that kind of “within” talk is fortune-cookie horoscope speak, signifying nothing.

From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026

But the country's most popular horoscope forecasting the Buddhist new year starting in early 2026, touted by street vendors nationwide in recent days, contains clashing portents.

From Barron's • Dec. 21, 2025

Diana says astrologers believe there's a "horoscope wheel" that changes according to people's year of birth, and Saturn takes "28, 29 years to go round this circle" and end up in the same spot again.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2024

It’s better than a horoscope, Mother always says.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

Related Words

• astrology