"one versed in the laws of the heavenly bodies," late 14c., from astronomy (q.v.) + -er (1). It replaced French import astronomyen (c. 1300), which, had it survived, probably would have yielded *astronomian. For sense differentiation, see astrology, and compare astrologer.
musical note (sixth note of the diatonic scale), early 14c., see gamut. It represents the initial syllable of Latin labii "of the lips." In French and Italian it became the name of the musical note A, which is the sixth of the natural scale (C major).
1914, "of or pertaining to movies," from French cinématique (by 1902), from cinéma (see cinema). Earlier (1883) it was a variant form of kinematic (see kinematics). Related: Cinematically.
1769, short for stella polaris, Modern Latin, literally "the pole star" (see polar). The ancient Greeks called it Phoenice, "the Phoenician (star)," because the Phoenicians used it for navigation. Due to precession of the equinoxes the pole was a few degrees off (closer to Beta Ursae Minoris), but evidently Polaris was close enough. Also see pole (n.2). The Old English word for it was Scip-steorra "ship-star," also reflecting its importance in navigation. As the name of a U.S. Navy long-range submarine-launched guided nuclear missile, it dates from 1957.
late 14c., "seller of alcoholic liquors," of uncertain origin (see tipple). In the sense of "habitual drinker" it dates from 1570s.
1838, from Dutch weekvisch, from week "soft" (see weak). So called because it does not pull hard when hooked.
"reduction of or freedom from inhibition," 1927; see dis- + inhibition. From the start it was noted as being, often, "inhibition of an inhibition."
