Languages › English as a Second Language Zodiac Signs and the Words That Describe Them Print English as a Second Language Vocabulary Basic Conversations for English Language Learners Pronunciation & Conversation Writing Skills Reading Comprehension Grammar Business English Resources for Teachers By Kenneth Beare Kenneth Beare English as a Second Language (ESL) Expert TESOL Diploma, Trinity College London M.A., Music Performance, Cologne University of Music B.A., Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music Kenneth Beare is an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and course developer with over three decades of teaching experience. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on August 21, 2019 The study of astrology centers on the 12 signs of the Zodiac. Each sign has its own established set of characteristics and associations that are presumed descriptive of people born under them. Learning about these signs and their corresponding traits is a great way to quickly improve your vocabulary—you'll find yourself with a whole set of adjectives to describe personalities! Read on to learn more about the 12 Zodiac signs and the words that go with them. Aries (Born March 21–April 19) Allexxandar / Getty Images Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac. It is associated with fresh vigor and new beginnings. Individuals born under this sign are said to have an enthusiastic, adventurous, and passionate character. They are usually ambitious, humorous, and pioneering. On the less positive side, they're also said to be prone to selfishness, boastfulness, intolerance, impulsiveness, and impatience. Positive AdjectivesAdventurous and energeticPioneering and courageousEnthusiastic and confidentDynamic and quick-wittedNegative AdjectivesSelfish and quick-temperedImpulsive and impatientFoolhardy and daredevil Taurus (Born April 20–May 20) Allexxandar / Getty Images Taurus is the second sign of the Zodiac and is associated with material pleasure. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a calm, patient, reliable, loyal, affectionate, sensuous, ambitious, and determined character. They are also prone to hedonism, laziness, inflexibility, jealousy, and antipathy. Positive AdjectivesPatient and reliableWarmhearted and lovingPersistent and determinedPlacid and security lovingNegative AdjectivesJealous and possessiveResentful and inflexibleSelf-indulgent and greedy Gemini (May 21–June 20) Allexxandar / Getty Images Gemini is the third sign of the Zodiac and is associated with youth and versatility. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a sociable, fun-loving, versatile, lively, communicative, liberal, intelligent, mentally active, and friendly character. They are also thought to be prone to moodiness, inconsistency, superficiality, restlessness, and laziness. Positive AdjectivesAdaptable and versatileCommunicative and wittyIntellectual and eloquentYouthful and livelyNegative AdjectivesNervous and tenseSuperficial and inconsistentCunning and inquisitive Cancer (June 22–July 22) Allexxandar / Getty Images Cancer is the fourth sign of the Zodiac. It is associated with family and domesticity. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a kind, emotional, romantic, imaginative, sympathetic, nurturing, and intuitive character. They are also supposed to be prone to changeability, moodiness, hypersensitivity, depression, and clinginess. Positive AdjectivesEmotional and lovingIntuitive and imaginativeShrewd and cautiousProtective and sympatheticNegative AdjectivesChangeable and moodyOveremotional and touchyClinging and unable to let go Leo (July 23–August 22) Allexxandar / Getty Images Leo is the fifth sign of the Zodiac and is associated with the keywords magnanimous, generous, hospitable, caring, warm, authoritative, active, and open. Leos are typically pictured as very dignified and regal. They are hard-working, ambitious, and enthusiastic, however, they are supposedly prone to laziness, often choosing to take "the easy way out." They are known to be exuberant, extroverted, and generous. They have a natural dramatic flair and are very creative. They are typically very self-assured and love taking center-stage in whatever arena they are in. Positive AdjectivesGenerous and warmheartedCreative and enthusiasticBroad-minded and expansiveFaithful and lovingNegative AdjectivesPompous and patronizingBossy and interferingDogmatic and intolerant Virgo (August 23–September 22) Allexxandar / Getty Images Virgo is the sixth sign of the Zodiac. It is associated with purity and service. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a diligent, analytical, self-sufficient, controlled, orderly, and modest character. But they are also prone to fussiness, perfectionism, harsh criticism, coldness, and hypochondria. Positive AdjectivesModest and shyMeticulous and reliablePractical and diligentIntelligent and analyticalNegative AdjectivesFussy and a worrierOvercritical and harshPerfectionist and conservative Read More Lesson Plan: Your Zodiac Sign By Kenneth Beare Libra (September 23–October 22) Allexxandar / Getty Images Libra is the seventh sign of the Zodiac. It is associated with justice. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a pleasant, articulate, charming, social, charismatic character. They are artistic. But they also possess a fair, refined, diplomatic, even-tempered and self-sufficient character. On the negative side, they are thought to be indecisive, lazy, aloof, flirtatious, and shallow. They are also supposedly extravagant, frivolous, impatient, envious, and quarrelsome. Positive Adjectives Diplomatic and urbaneRomantic and charmingEasygoing and sociableIdealistic and peaceable Negative Adjectives Indecisive and changeableGullible and easily influencedFlirtatious and self-indulgent Scorpio (October 23–November 21) Allexxandar / Getty Images Scorpio is the eighth sign of the Zodiac. It is associated with intensity, passion, and power. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a complex, analytical, patient, keenly perceptive, inquisitive, focused, determined, hypnotic, and self-contained character. They are also prone to extremity, jealousy, envy, secretiveness, possessiveness, cruelty, and cunning. Positive Adjectives Determined and forcefulEmotional and intuitivePowerful and passionateExciting and magnetic Negative Adjectives Jealous and resentfulCompulsive and obsessiveSecretive and obstinate Sagittarius (November 22–December 21) Allexxandar / Getty Images Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the Zodiac. It is associated with travel and expansion. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a straight-forward, dynamic, highly intelligent, extremely clever, ethical, humorous, generous, open-hearted, compassionate, and energetic character. They are also prone to restlessness, impulsiveness, impatience, and recklessness. Positive Adjectives Optimistic and freedom-lovingJovial and good-humoredHonest and straightforwardIntellectual and philosophical Negative Adjectives Blindly optimistic and carelessIrresponsible and superficialTactless and restless Capricorn (December 22–January 19) Allexxandar / Getty Images Capricorn is the 10th sign of the Zodiac and is associated with hard work and business affairs. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have an ambitious, modest, patient, responsible, stable, trustworthy, powerful, intellectual, perspicacious, and persistent character. They are also prone to coldness, conservatism, rigidity, materialism, and dullness. Positive Adjectives Practical and prudentAmbitious and disciplinedPatient and carefulHumorous and reserved Negative Adjectives Pessimistic and fatalisticMiserly and grudging Aquarius (January 20–February 18) Allexxandar / Getty Images Aquarius is the 11th sign of the Zodiac and is associated with future ideas and the unusual. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a modest, creative, challenging, inquisitive, entertaining, progressive, stimulating, nocturnal, and independent character. They are also prone to rebelliousness, coldness, erraticism, indecisiveness, and impracticality. Positive Adjectives Friendly and humanitarianHonest and loyalOriginal and inventiveIndependent and intellectual Negative Adjectives Intractable and contraryPerverse and unpredictableUnemotional and detached Pisces (February 19–March 20) Allexxandar / Getty Images Pisces is the 12th and last sign of the Zodiac and is associated with human emotions. Individuals born under this sign are thought to be tolerant, modest, dreamy, romantic, humorous, generous, emotional, receptive, and affectionate. They are thought to have an honest character. But they are also prone to exaggeration, fickleness, passiveness, hypersensitivity, and paranoia. Positive Adjectives Imaginative and sensitiveCompassionate and kindSelfless and unworldlyIntuitive and sympathetic Negative Adjectives Escapist and idealisticSecretive and vagueWeak-willed and easily led Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Beare, Kenneth. "Zodiac Signs and the Words That Describe Them." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/zodiac-personality-4122956. Beare, Kenneth. (2023, April 5). Zodiac Signs and the Words That Describe Them. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/zodiac-personality-4122956 Beare, Kenneth. "Zodiac Signs and the Words That Describe Them." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/zodiac-personality-4122956 (accessed April 25, 2024). copy citation