Meet Gemini, the Zodiac's curious, social butterfly: The sign's personality traits, months

Gemini, the third sign of the Zodiac, is often described as curious, communicative and intellectual. An air sign, Geminis aren't afraid of change and will gladly – and easily – dish on a variety of topics. Represented by twins, the sign is deeply independent, yet also in search of a lifelong partner.

The Zodiac may not be a catchall for understanding peoples' personalities, but looking to the stars can provide insight and has been a guide for centuries.

"There's very ancient associations that we can draw from even the Judeo-Christian tradition that are going be pointing to there being some kind of pattern behind the veil," astrologer Wade Caves tells USA TODAY.

Here's a deep dive into Gemini's key traits, approach to relationships and careers, and strengths and weaknesses.

Gemini dates

Gemini season spans from May 21 to June 21.

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Gemini personality, traits

If there's one to remember about Geminis, it's that they love to talk. "Geminis are in constant communication," Caves says. "They like to chat a lot." In turn, the sign is sometimes seen as gossipy.

Caves calls the Gemini "a Goldilocks sign." "It doesn't like extremes really," he explains. The sign has an affinity for variability and might struggle to commit to things for too long.

Geminis are generally more interested in studying many things than going deep into one thing, Caves says. The sign is both agile and dexterous. "In the best-case scenario, the Gemini uses their ability to pick up a little bit from everywhere to become a super generalist," he explains.

Geminis try to avoid stagnant states. Thanks to the sign's youthful spirit, they steer clear of anything that feels archaic or rooted in old-school thinking. Geminis are all about action and have a tendency to challenge things, Caves says.

Among the social butterflies of the Zodiac, Geminis like to be around people and find joy in putting their energy toward human benefit.

Do you know these 30 famous Gemini? Celebrities with birthdays under the zodiac sign

Career

Geminis' versatility allows them to fit into most people's shoes in the workplace.

In particular, Caves says Geminis make great journalists and consultants. The ever-changing nature of these jobs helps keep their curiosity alive, he explains. They thrive on fostering connection, but can disconnect and reconnect somewhere else quickly.

Gemini compatibility

Since Gemini is symbolized by twins, it shouldn't come as a shock that the sign is great in a pair. They love to find "parrot-like" individuals to get along with, astrologer Cleo Neptune previously told USA TODAY.

The size of a Gemini's inner circle varies depending on the individual, but they tend to expand into different groups with ease.

Those who fall under the sign have a deep desire to find their perfect – and mirror – match. "They begin to search for that other twin," Caves explains.

Yet, Geminis are highly independent and do not dwell over a relationship's end.

"At the end of the day, the real question comes down to how much their curiosity is titillated by a certain individual," Caves says, "as long as I haven't figured you out completely, there's still more to do."

The signs most compatible with Gemini include Aries, Libra and Aquarius.

In relationships, Geminis don't like anything too serious or heavy, Caves says. "What’s certain is that they want their interactions and their relationships to be light," he explains.

Geminis also tend to avoid conflict. They will keep things close to the chest for as long as they're able to. When confronted, they might resort to clever misdirection.

"If you think you're coming to confront this issue, watch out because there might be this other one waiting in the wing that will throw you off that you didn't see coming," Caves says. The Gemini's hope is that this will push people to drop something and move on.

Strengths

A Gemini is often a people person. They can make quick connections with a diverse range of individuals. Geminis are incredibly curious as well, Caves adds.

Their thirst for knowledge drives much of their life's path both in career and relationships. They seek to be mentally stimulated, flourishing when they can use their versatility to adapt from role to role.

Weaknesses

Just as curiosity kills the cat, it also can hinder the Gemini. This quality usually leads to a lack of commitment from the sign, inciting internal struggle and potential insecurities.

Geminis might find themselves asking, "Where's my specialty? What's my angle?" Caves says.

In the workplace, Geminis often feel limited in roles that require longstanding or institutional knowledge of a subject, Caves says. They can be a bit noncommittal, opting to switch to something else out of boredom.

The Gemini's non-confrontational nature is a double-edged sword. Caves says they sometimes don't fight fairly. They are likely to bring up separate or old grievances as a surprise attack when confronted. Geminis do this to avoid facing an issue head-on; they would rather overwhelm their argument partner.

New to Astrology? We've got you covered. Explore more Zodiac coverage and find out what the stars say about you with USA TODAY's astrological sign series

Learn more about each Zodiac sign

Aries | Taurus | Gemini | CancerLeo | Virgo | Libra | Scorpio | SagittariusCapricorn | Aquarius | Pisces

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gemini Zodiac sign: Personality traits, dates and compatibility