Word origin · etymology
Latin constellation and sign name.
Cancer means crab; this zodiacal use is the animal-name.
How we know · epistemology
Zodiac convention with traditional symbolism
Tropical Cancer begins at the June solstice, a geometric marker shared across hemispheres despite opposite seasons. Its cardinal-water classification and associated personal themes are traditional meanings, not direct deductions from that seasonal event.
Deborah Houlding: absolute zodiac longitude ↗Ptolemy: Tetrabiblos I.4–24, Robbins translation ↗Astrodienst: The four Elements and the Signs (practitioner account) ↗
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Mentioned in 9 other entries
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Sources & provenance
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