Word of the Day

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In ancient Roman astrology, people were thought to share the personality traits of the god whose planet was rising when they were born. The largest planet was named after the chief Roman god Jupiter, also called Jove. Jove was a sky god and a bringer of light, as well as a great protector who kept heroes focused on being loyal to the gods, the state, and family. Ancient mythology is full of stories of Jupiter (Zeus in the Greek myths) behaving badly, but jovial points only to the joy and happiness of a supremely powerful god: it describes the cheerful and jolly among us. (Jovian is the adjective that describes what is simply related to Jove/Jupiter.) Jovial has historically been contrasted with saturnine, which describes those with a gloomy or surly disposition. Sad Saturn was the father of Jupiter and his siblings, and he was exiled (understandably) for swallowing them all.