Capricorns, born between 21 December and 19 January, are all about structure and order. Represented by the goat and ruled by Saturn, Capricorns are strong, stable and prioritise wisdom.

Whether Capricorn appears in your natal chart as your sun sign, moon sign or rising sign, its traits may appear in your personality. We spoke to astrologer Agne Aurelia to find out everything there is to know about the Capricorn zodiac sign.

What is a Capricorn?

Capricorn is a sign ruled by Saturn, which, as Aurelia explains, is the “planet of structure, karma and time”. Represented by the mountain goat, Capricorns are “tough cookies” who tend to be resolute, stable and strong. “They are capable of withstanding external pressures, and just like the mountain goat, climb all the way to the top,” she says, adding. “The archetype is associated with structures, governments, old age and achievement. In the human body, Capricorns are connected to the skeleton, teeth and skin.” All in all, Aurelia says Capricorns can be seen as the “grown-ups” of the zodiac.

Personality traits of Capricorn

Structured

For a Capricorn, structure and order are everything. Capricorns tend to thrive when they are able to lay out and follow a precise plan to a T. They love nothing more than organising their lives.

Ambitious

“Capricorns take their careers seriously,” says Aurelia. “They understand hierarchies and can be very successful as heads of massive corporations.” Whether it’s in their careers or in other facets of their lives, Capricorns are always ambitious and always looking ahead to the next step. “They are resilient, patient and incredibly determined,” she says. “Goal-oriented, they are driven to leave a legacy in their field.”

Strategic

Because Capricorns are so structured and so ambitious, they also tend to be pretty strategic. Not only are they determined, they have a clearly thought-out plan to get to where they want to go. “Since Capricorns are ruled by Saturn, the planet of time and restrictions, they are not afraid of prolonged challenges and work best having long-term goals,” she says. “They come up with unrivalled strategies, which help them overcome any challenges.”

Weaknesses of Capricorn

Risk-averse

Sometimes, their love of structure can leave Capricorns a little too rigid in their thinking. If something feels unstructured, they may try to avoid it – even if it may prove fruitful. “They can choose a tried-and-tested but much harder route to success, which can delay their accomplishments by years,” says Aurelia.

Overly driven by success

Success can be everything for a Capricorn – sometimes to their detriment. “In the zodiac wheel, Capricorn rules over the 10th house, which means career is often attached to their identity. Therefore Capricorns can be considered overly driven by status, measuring their worth by external success.”

Ruthless

In extreme cases, some Capricorns may be seen as ruthless, as they do anything and everything to reach their goals. “On their way to the top, Capricorns can be ruthless and may end up feeling alone and isolated,” says Aurelia.

Capricorn love traits

For Capricorns, romance is just another facet of their goal-oriented lifestyle. They can often see their potential partners not only as romantic partners, but also as life partners to help or hinder their route to success. “Ambition, drive and success are all aphrodisiacs for Capricorns,” says Aurelia. “Being in a relationship is not enough; ideally, Capricorns are looking to be in a power couple. They want a partner to build their empire with.”

For this reason, Capricorns often choose romantic partners who also feel kind of like they’d make a good business partner, too. “They would choose someone who is put together and exudes an image of cool success,” she says. “They often prefer someone who is either older or who comes off as mature for their years.”

That’s not to say that Capricorns can’t be passionate, but their romantic side tends to come out in private. “They don’t like public displays of emotion,” she says. 

Capricorn friendship traits

As a friend, a Capricorn will be almost as tough on you as they are on themselves.

“A Capricorn friend will be the one who gives you tough love,” says Aurelia. “There is no fluff there.”

While it can feel harsh, Capricorns always have their friends’ best interests at heart – they want them to succeed, just as they want to succeed themselves.

That being said, they don’t always handle emotion as well as some other signs. “They might not be the best people to turn to for an emotional crying session, but they are great motivators and will show up in a moment of crisis with a practical solution to save the day,” she says.

She adds, “Capricorns tend to surround themselves with other driven people and often bounce their new business ideas among like-minded friends.”

Capricorn career traits

You guessed it, Capricorns are all about business.

“Capricorns often can be entrepreneurs capable of leaving legacy and building businesses from scratch,” says Aurelia. Within creative industries, they often take the role of the voice of reason.

Career success is a long-term goal for Capricorns. “Due to their calculative nature, they often achieve true success later in life,” she says.

Capricorn compatibility

Capricorns tend to resonate with the other Earth signs, Virgo and Taurus. “They share the same sensibilities, practical approach to life and appreciation for the material world,” she says. “Another sign worth mentioning is Scorpio! Scorps and Cappies opt out for a more restrained exterior, they are both private archetypes and seek to embody personal power.”

Famous Capricorns

• Timothée Chalamet, 27 December
• Diane Keaton, 5 January
• Kate Middleton, 9 January
• Mary J Blige, 11 January
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 13 January
• Zooey Deschanel, 17 January
• Michelle Obama, 17 January

Images: Getty