astrolabe
/ˈæs.tɹəˌleɪb/
Etymology
From Middle English astrelabie et al., from Middle French astrolabe, Old French astrelabe, from Ancient Greek ἀστρολάβος (astrolábos, “star-taking”), from ἄστρον (ástron, “star”) + λαμβάνω (lambánō, “I take”).
astrolabe means an astronomical and navigational instrument for gauging the altitude of the Sun and stars. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 86 out of 100.
astrolabe is pronounced /ˈæs.tɹəˌleɪb/.
Why “astrolabe” is a great word
ASTROLABE — [Noun] An ancient astronomical and navigational instrument for measuring the altitude of celestial bodies to solve problems of time and position. Its name descends directly from the Ancient Greek ἀστρολάβος (astrolábos, "star-taking"), from ἄστρον (ástron, "star") + λαμβάνω (lambánō, "I take"). Unlike a sextant—a later, more precise specialist for singular angular measurement—or an armillary sphere—a static, demonstrative model of celestial rings—the astrolabe is a portable cosmos of engraved brass, a calculator for plotting time, tide, and trajectory. It is the cool weight of metal in the palm, the precise alignment of a rotating rete against etched coordinates, and the patient observation of a star's image trembling in a pierced sight—a human attempt to hold the turning heavens still, and to find one's fixed point within them.
noun
- An astronomical and navigational instrument for gauging the altitude of the Sun and stars.“The shop carries more than a dozen sundials, mostly of bronze, plus an astrolabe ($650) of wrought iron.”