— astrolabical /as'treuh lab"i keuhl, -lay"bi-/ , adj.
/as"treuh layb'/ , n.
an astronomical instrument for taking the altitude of the sun or stars and for the solution of other problems in astronomy and navigation: used by Greek astronomers from about 200 B.C. and by Arab astronomers from the Middle Ages until superseded by the sextant.
[ 1325-75; ME, var. of astrolabie astrolabium astrolábion, Gk astrolábon (neut. of astrolábos, adj. used as n.), equiv. to ástro ( n ) STAR + lab- (var. s. of lambánein to take, seize) + -on neut. suffix ]