Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for cardinal sign. Search instead for cardinal-ligament.

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.

Etymology

Origin of cardinal sign

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From Washington Post • May 1, 2023

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

From The Verge • Jun. 26, 2019

Yet another cardinal sign of frailty is weight loss.

From New York Times • Jun. 21, 2013

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.