SEXAGENARY Meaning and
Definition
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Sexagenary is an adjective that refers to something related to or characteristic of a sixty-year cycle. This term is primarily used in the context of Chinese astrology and calendrical systems, where it describes a cycle of sixty years. In the Chinese calendar, each year is assigned one of twelve animal zodiac signs (such as the Rat, Ox, Tiger, etc.) and one of ten heavenly stems (such as Yi, Bing, Ding, and so on). The combination of these twelve animal signs and ten heavenly stems, each occurring only once in a sixty-year cycle, creates the sexagenary cycle.
The sexagenary cycle is considered significant in Chinese culture and is often used to determine the unique personality traits, fortunes, and compatibility between individuals born in different years. It is also associated with the divination and prediction of future events. By understanding and interpreting the patterns and interactions within the sexagenary cycle, astrologers, fortune-tellers, and scholars seek to gain insights about individual destiny, relationships, and broader societal developments.
Furthermore, the term sexagenary can also be used more broadly, outside of the Chinese context, to describe any system or cycle that operates within a period of sixty years or involves divisions into sixty equal parts. It underscores the significance placed on this particular cycle in Chinese culture and highlights its importance as a unit of measurement and interpretation in various fields.
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• Designating the number sixty.
• Something composed of sixty.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for SEXAGENARY
Etymology of SEXAGENARY
The word "sexagenary" is derived from the Latin term "sexagenarius", which itself comes from the cardinal number "sexaginta" (sixty). In Latin, "sexagenarius" represents something related to sixty or occurring every sixty. This term was later adopted into English, retaining its original meaning. In the context of sexagenary, it typically refers to a system or cycle based on sixty units or years.
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