Zo'diack. n.s. [zodiaque, French; ζωδιακὸς, ἐκ τῶν ζώων, the living creatures, the figures of which are painted on it in globes.] The track of the sun through the twelve signs; a great circle of the sphere, containing the twelve signs.
The golden sun salutes the morn,
And having gilt the ocean with his beams,
Gallops the zodiack in his glist'ring coach. Shakespeare.
Years he number'd scarce thirteen,
When fates turn'd cruel;
Yet three fill'd zodiacks had he been
The stage's jewel. Ben. Johnson.
By his side,
As in a glist'ring zodiack hung the sword,
Satan's dire dread; and in his hand the spear. Milton.
It exceeds even their absurdity to suppose the zodiack and planets to be efficient of, and antecedent to themselves, or to exert any influences before they were in being. Bentley.
Here in a shrine that cast a dazling light,
Sat fixt in thought the mighty Stagyrite;
His sacred head a radiant zodiack crown'd;
And various animals his sides surround. Pope.