Glossary

The terms of traditional astrology, defined clearly.

• AlmutenFrom Arabic *al-mutham*, "the one who rules". The planet holding the most essential dignity over a given zodiacal degree, scored by domicile (5), exaltation (4), triplicity (3), term (2), and face (1).
• Almuten FigurisThe planet ruling the chart as a whole, computed as the combined almuten of the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Prenatal Syzygy, and Lot of Fortune. Functions as the native's "lord of life".
• Angular houseHouses I, IV, VII, and X — aligned with the sky's angles (horizon and meridian). The strongest of the chart; planets in them manifest early and forcefully in the native's life.
• AntisciaThe mirror of a zodiacal degree across the solstice axis (0° Cancer / 0° Capricorn). Two planets in antiscia share a hidden favorable connection, read as similar to a sextile or trine.
• ApplyingSaid of an aspect whose exactness has not yet been reached — the planets are approaching. It concerns future events, promises about to be fulfilled.
• AscendantThe zodiacal degree rising on the eastern horizon at the moment of birth. It defines the first house of the chart and the native's physical body; its ruler is the lord of the chart.
• AversionRelation between two signs that form no aspect with each other (signs one or five signs apart). Planets in aversion do not "see" each other and do not act on one another.
• BeneficPlanet whose effects tend toward the favorable: Jupiter (greater benefic) and Venus (lesser benefic). Reflects a moderate, healthy elemental mixture.
• Cadent houseHouses III, VI, IX, and XII — preceding an angular house. The weakest; they treat invisible processes, transitions, or loss.
• CazimiFrom Arabic *kasmīmī*, "in the heart". Planet less than 17 minutes from the Sun — protected and amplified by the solar embrace. The most favorable condition a planet can have in the chart.
• CombustPlanet between 17 minutes and 8°30' of the Sun — burned by proximity. Its functions in the chart are destroyed: anesthetized or consumed by the solar presence.
• DetrimentThe sign opposite a planet's domicile. The planet operates with difficulty, on hostile ground ruled by its natural opposite.
• DomicileSign ruled by a planet — its "home". The planet in its domicile acts with maximum fluency, authority, and strength.
• EclipticThe Sun's apparent path through the sky over the year. The zodiac is a 9° band around this line where the planets move.
• Essential dignityThe set of five categories of strength a planet has according to the zodiacal degree it occupies: domicile, exaltation, triplicity, term, and face. Determines the planet's natural "competence" in that place.
• ExaltationSign where a planet is "honored" as a guest of honor. It can act with grandeur and amplification of its best effects, even without being the planet's home.
• FaceA 10° subdivision within each sign (three faces per sign), assigned to one of the seven planets in Chaldean order. The weakest essential dignity, but present.
• FallSign opposite the exaltation. The planet in its fall sits in a position of humiliation, with its action diminished and its effects undermined.
• FirdariaPersian planetary periods dividing the native's life into chapters of 7 to 13 years, each ruled by a planet. Total cycle of 75 years.
• HylegThe "giver of life": primary planet responsible for the native's longevity, chosen by technical criteria from among the Sun, Moon, Ascendant, Fortune, or the Pre-natal Lot.
• Lot of FortuneSensitive point computed from the longitudes of the Moon, Sun, and Ascendant. Represents the native's bodily and material fortune; changes with the chart's sect.
• MaleficPlanet whose effects tend toward the unfavorable: Saturn (greater malefic) and Mars (lesser malefic). Reflects an extreme elemental mixture (cold/dry or hot/dry to excess).
• MidheavenThe highest point of the Sun's path at the moment of birth — corresponds to the cusp of house X. Rules career, public reputation, and visible destiny.
• OrbTolerance in degrees within which an exact aspect is considered active. In tradition it varies by planet (Sun up to 15°, Mercury up to 6°, etc.) and modifies the aspect's strength, not its existence.
• PartileAspect with separation less than 1°. The maximum-strength condition of an aspect; events promised by partile aspects are nearly certain.
• PeregrinePlanet without any essential dignity at the degree it occupies — no domicile, exaltation, triplicity, term, or face. Exiled, but not on clearly hostile ground.
• ProfectionPredictive technique where each year of life activates a chart house in sequence, beginning with house I. The ruler of the profected house becomes the "lord of the year".
• RetrogradationApparent backward motion of a planet through the zodiac as seen from Earth. Traditionally seen as an accidental debility: the planet operates confusedly, hesitantly, or off-course.
• RulerThe planet that rules a sign (sign ruler) or a house (house ruler, the planet that rules the sign of its cusp). Distinct from the almuten.
• SectDivision between diurnal (Sun, Jupiter, Saturn) and nocturnal (Moon, Venus, Mars) planets. A planet of the chart's sect acts more easily; the malefic contrary to the sect is more dangerous.
• SeparatingSaid of an aspect whose exactness has already been reached — the planets are moving apart. It concerns past events, promises already consumed.
• Solar returnChart cast for the exact instant when the Sun returns to its natal zodiacal position — once a year, near the birthday. Functions as the astrological snapshot of the following year.
• South Node and North NodeThe two points where the Moon's orbit crosses the ecliptic. In Persian tradition they appear in the firdaria cycle. Modern natal astrology reinterpreted them as karmic points — a non-traditional use.
• Succedent houseHouses II, V, VIII, and XI — following an angular house. Secondary strength; they treat substance and consequences.
• Term (Bound)Unequal subdivision within each sign (five terms per sign), assigned to the five non-luminary planets in Egyptian order. A minor but real essential dignity.
• TransitA planet's current position in the sky, contrasted with its natal position. Used for fine timing within other techniques (profection, firdaria); alone, it is noise.
• TriplicityA group of three signs of the same element (Fire, Earth, Air, or Water). Each triplicity has three rulers — diurnal, nocturnal, and participating — according to the Dorothean doctrine.
• Under the beamsPlanet between 8°30' and 17° of the Sun — obscured by solar light. Its functions in the chart are weakened, lacking clarity, often eclipsed rather than destroyed (cf. combust).
• Whole sign housesHouse system where each sign is a whole house: if the Ascendant is in Taurus, all of house I is Taurus, all of II is Gemini, etc. The oldest system, used in Hellenistic astrology.
• ZodiacA 360° band divided into twelve 30° signs, centered on the ecliptic. Traditional astrology uses the tropical zodiac (signs anchored to the equinoxes), distinct from the sidereal (anchored to the stars).