Glossary: religion and spirituality
These are the terms used across this site’s religion and spirituality pages, from Bible verses to horoscopes and numerology.
- Bible verse
Each short, numbered sentence or group of sentences within a Bible chapter. Verse numbering is not part of the original text — it was added in the 16th century to make citation easier.
- Psalm
A religious poem or song from the Book of Psalms, in the Old Testament, traditionally used in prayer and liturgy by Jews and Christians. The book contains 150 psalms.
- Public-domain translation
An edition of a Bible text old enough that its copyright has expired — it can therefore be freely quoted and reproduced, unlike modern translations held by publishers.
- Devotional
A short piece of religious reflection, usually paired with a verse, meant for daily reading. Unlike a theological commentary, it tends to be brief and focused on personal application.
- Horoscope
An astrological interpretation based on the position of celestial bodies relative to the zodiac signs. It is a cultural and entertainment tradition, with no scientific evidence that it influences life events.
- Zodiac sign
One of the 12 equal divisions of the tropical zodiac, each tied to a period of the year, an element and a quality in Western astrological tradition.
- Astrological element
Each of the four groups (fire, earth, air, water) that bring together three zodiac signs, traditionally associated with a shared temperament.
- Retrograde: astrology vs. astronomy
In astronomy, "retrograde" describes a real optical effect: seen from Earth, a planet appears to move backward across the sky for weeks, due to the difference in orbital speed between the two planets. In astrology, the same period is given an interpretive meaning (delays, revisiting plans) that is not a physical phenomenon, but a traditional reading of it.
- Numerology
A tradition that assigns symbolic meanings to numbers, based on calculations such as adding up digits. It is not recognised by mathematics or science as a predictive method.
- Angel number
A repeating number sequence (such as 111 or 444) to which popular numerology assigns a specific meaning, usually read as a sign or message. It is a recent-tradition belief, popularised online.
- Tradition/belief vs. fact
A distinction used on this site: something is treated as fact when it can be independently verified (a calendar date, an old translation); it is treated as tradition or belief when it is a cultural or spiritual interpretation with no scientific proof — such as horoscopes and numerology.