An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

The Water Bearer. An extended southern constellation composed of rather faint stars (R.A. about 23h, Dec. about -15 deg). One of the signs of the → Zodiac, it is surrounded by → Pegasus, → Equuleus, and → Delphinus to the north, → Aquila to the west, → Pisces Austrinus and → Sculptor to the south, and → Cetus to the east. Abbreviation: Aqr, genitive from: Aquarii.

Aquarius, L. "water carrier," literally "of the water," translation of Gk. Hydrokhoos "the water-pourer," old Gk. name of this constellation.

Âbkeš "water carrier or drawer," from âb "water" (Mid.Pers. âb "water;" O. Pers. ap- "water;" Av. ap- "water;" cf. Skt. áp- "water;" Hitt. happa- "water;" PIE āp-, ab- "water, river;" cf. Gk. Apidanos, proper noun, a river in Thessalia; L. amnis "stream, river" (from *abnis); O.Ir. ab "river;" O.Prus. ape "stream;" Lith. upé "stream;" Latv. upe "brook") + keš "drawer," contraction of kešandé, from kešidan/kašidan "to carry, draw, extract, trail, drag" (Mid.Pers. kešidan "to draw, pull;" Av. karš- "to draw; to plough," karša- "furrow;" cf. Skt. kars-, kársati "to pull, drag, plough," Gk. pelo, pelomai "to be busy, to bustle;" PIE base k^wels- "to plow").