— syzygial /si zij"ee euhl/ , syzygetic /siz'i jet"ik/ , syzygal /siz"i geuhl/ , adj.
/siz"i jee/ , n. , pl. syzygies .
1. Astron. an alignment of three celestial objects, as the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet: Syzygy in the sun-earth-moon system occurs at the time of full moon and new moon.
2. Class. Pros. a group or combination of two feet, sometimes restricted to a combination of two feet of different kinds.
3. any two related things, either alike or opposite.
[ 1650-60; syzygia syzygía union, pair, equiv. to sýzyg ( os ) yoked together ( sy- SY- + zyg-, base of zeugnýnai to YOKE 1 + -os adj. suffix) + -ia -Y 3 ]