Your Capricorn Zodiac Sign Guide: Everything To Know About the Driven Earth Sign

Famous Capricorns: Michelle Obama, Kate Middleton, Regina King, and January Jones
Photo: InStyle.com / Getty Images

Annually, between December 22 and January 19, the sun moves through the 10th zodiac sign, Capricorn, symbolized by the Goat. This time of year is filled with celebration and whimsy, but it also tends to be packed with responsibilities — to work, family, yourself. Capricorn is an earth sign associated with an unfailing drive, a sensible outlook on life, determination, loyalty, tradition, and a razor-focus on achievement.

These traits are owed to Cap's ruling planet, Saturn, which oversees hard work, challenging lessons, organization, concentration, responsibility, rules, boundaries, and discipline. Stars such as Michelle Obama, Kate Middleton, Regina King, Zooey Deschanel, and January Jones are practical, hardworking Capricorns who have made a significant difference and mark on the world. 

Ahead, everything to know about the resourceful, highly motivated earth sign.

Capricorn Personality Traits

The Overachiever of the Zodiac

Typical sun in Cap traits include being relentlessly driven to hit their career goals, pouring their minds, hearts, and often physical well-being into their work. Capricorns see the world through a pragmatic lens that lends itself to getting — and staying — organized. They're constantly striving to be on their A-game and be respected by colleagues and friends alike.

Holds Traditions in High Regard

Capricorns respect and stick to time-honored traditions with loved ones and are known for being uptight when it comes to rules and regulations. They're lovers of vintage anything — wardrobe, wine, music — and often come off as wise and mature, regardless of age. They're also the Benjamin Buttons of the zodiac, seemingly growing more laidback, playful, and youthful as the years go by.

The Cardinal Earth Sign

Every sign is assigned a quality (cardinal, mutable, or fixed), which explains the sign's fundamental energy. There's a cardinal, mutable, and fixed sign within every element (fire, earth, air, water). Cap is the cardinal one of the earth group, which makes them visionaries who are driven to constantly generate new strategies for success, just like Aries (fire), Libra (air), and Cancer (water). They're often brimming with bold, brilliant ideas, but follow-through can feel like a slightly uphill battle.

Capricorns' Best Personality Traits

Industrious, practical, reliable, organized, and stable, the Capricorns in your life are bound to constantly inspire you with their perpetual drive and determination to reach their lofty goals. Then they set the bar even higher for themselves, leaving you impressed — and perhaps a bit envious of their no-fail, go-getter energy. They tend to be ambitious in their personal life, too — looking after their health, families, and long-term friendships.

Capricorns' Worst Personality Traits

The cardinal earth sign's practical and restrained approach to life might cause them to be perceived as boring. They're generally not one to take risks or propose a thoroughly spontaneous game plan. They might also drag their feet on taking action because that earthy pragmatism often goes hand-in-hand with their own Cap brand of perfectionism.

Capricorns in Love and Lust

Romance Style

The earth sign is an industrious, sensible old soul — which appeals to anyone who dreams of building a solid relationship in which neither partner shies away from putting in work. If you're looking to connect with a Cap in a lasting way, you'll need to be respectful of their passion for their professional path. They might work especially long hours and struggle to set boundaries between their business and home lives. They also express how they feel in a direct, pragmatic way versus opting for a flowery, poetic style.

Sexual Style

Caps bring that driven M.O. into the bedroom. Because their ruling planet is taskmaster Saturn, they work to pleasure their partner. Bearing in mind that Saturn oversees rules, regulations, and boundaries, Capricorns tend to enjoy power play — often enjoying taking on a dominant role. Nothing gets the Goat hotter than professional success, advancement, or recognition.

Capricorns' Compatibility

Most Compatible Signs

A Cap often hits it off with similarly pragmatic Taurus, cerebral Virgo, or family-oriented Scorpio. Signs that share the same element — like Taurus, Virgo, and Cap — tend to be the most in sync. This is especially the case for two earth signs, both of whom have an innate appreciation for keeping it real. Earth is also traditionally compatible with water because the two elements complement and help balance one another.

Least Compatible Signs

Opposites can attract — and that's often the case with Capricorn and Cancer. These two connect on their shared love of dominating their professional world and building a gratifying domestic life. However, because both are cardinal and intensely ambitious, they can find themselves resentful they're not one another's top priority. Emotionally speaking, Capricorn may also have a hard time with air sign Libra and competitive fire sign Aries.

Capricorn Elsewhere in Your Chart

The sun sign is one of many aspects of a natal chart, or a unique snapshot of the sky when you were born. When you were born, the moon and all the planets in our solar system were in one of the 12 signs — all of which help to inform your personality and areas of your life. Here's what it means if Cap shows up in any of the main areas of your chart:

Capricorn Moon

The moon influences your emotions and intuition. If it was in Cap at the time of your birth, you're enterprising, serious, and often take a practical approach when maintaining and expressing how you feel in your nearest and dearest relationships.

Capricorn Mercury

Mercury shapes your communication style. If it was in Cap when you were born, you are thorough, pragmatic, and research-oriented in sharing your knowledge with others. You prefer to categorize, organize, and assess before making a move.

Capricorn Venus

Venus influences how you behave in relationships and how you attract others. If you were born with the planet of love and beauty in Cap, you're quick to assure any potential partner or current S.O. that you're capable, confident, and competent.

Capricorn Mars

Mars affects your energy, strength, sexual style, and how you experience courage. If you were born while the dynamic planet was in earthy Cap, you're laser-focused on rising to the top of your industry. You come off as controlled, determined, and reserved when moving forward on any game plan.

Capricorn Ascendant (or Rising)

Your ascendant or rising sign influences how you present yourself to the world. As a Capricorn ascendant, you come off as practical, down-to-earth, traditional, and endlessly career-oriented.

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