cardinal sign

American  

noun

Astrology.

1. any of the four astrological signs, Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn, that begin at the equinoxes and solstices, thus marking the beginning of the seasons: characterized by the attribute of strong initiative.

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Etymology

Origin of cardinal sign

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

"The question we always ask is, can we exploit microbiota to help our health, for which optimal blood pressure is a cardinal sign. Until now, we have simply said changes in microbiota play a role in elevated blood pressure or hypertension. Those are important findings, but they don't always have an immediately translational application," she said.

From Science Daily

Brain shrinkage is a cardinal sign of dementia and brain damage in general.

From Washington Post

Libra, as a cardinal sign, is somewhat more stable.

From The Verge

Yet another cardinal sign of frailty is weight loss.

From New York Times

Social withdrawal is both a symptom of sickness behavior in rodents and a cardinal sign of depression in humans.

From Scientific American