virgo
/ˈvɝ.ɡoʊ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.07 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
name
A constellation in the zodiac, traditionally figured in the shape of a maiden holding an ear of wheat (represented by the bright binary star Spica).
name
The zodiac sign for the virgin, ruled by Mercury, that covers August 23 – September 23 (tropical astrology) or September 16 – October 15 (sidereal astrology).
name
A large-scale gravitational wave detector located in Pisa, Italy.
name
A surname.
Example Sentences
- "Now, masters, draw. [They shoot.] O, well said, Lucius! Good boy, in Virgo’s lap."
- "Virgo is represented as a woman with a branch in her right hand, and some ears of corn in her left hand."
- "The constellation Virgo is a Y-shaped group, of which α, the star at the foot, is the well-known Spica, a star of the first magnitude. [...] The whole resembles more a cup than the human figure; but when we remember the symbolic meaning of the cup, that seems to be an obvious explanation of the name Virgo, which the constellation has borne since the earliest times."
- "In February 2016, scientists announced that the first direct observation of gravitational waves had been made using just the two LIGO detectors. That was followed by a second announcement in June 2016. Because Virgo was undergoing an extensive upgrade, it was not operating during these first observations."
Etymology
From Latin virgō (“maiden, virgin; name of constellation”), calque of Ancient Greek παρθένος (parthénos, “virgin; name of constellation”), ultimately derived through mythic reinterpretation from ancient Mesopotamian constellations, as Akkadian absinnu (“seed furrow; name of constellation”) and Sumerian 𒀯𒀳 (ᵐᵘˡABSIN₃, “seed furrow; constellation representing fertility/harvest goddess Shala with ear of corn”). Doublet of virgin.
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: virgō, absinnu, 𒀯𒀳
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈvɝ.ɡoʊ/
- British English: /ˈvɜː.ɡəʊ/
Inflected Forms
♍︎ (symbol)
Virgos (plural)