cardinal sign

American

noun

Astrology.

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.

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

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cardinal sign

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