What the Virgo symbol ♍︎ shows
The Virgo glyph ♍︎ looks like a lowercase m whose last stroke loops back and crosses itself. Virgo means "maiden" in Latin, and the sign is usually explained as the maiden of the constellation or the ear of wheat she holds. One common theory says the glyph grew out of the first letters of the Greek word parthenos, "virgin".
The wheat idea comes from the sky itself: the brightest star in Virgo is Spica, Latin for "ear of grain". On old star maps the maiden holds it in her hand, which is why 🌾 is a natural emoji partner for ♍︎.
Virgo dates, element and ruler
Virgo covers roughly August 23 to September 22 in the tropical zodiac. It ends at the September equinox, so the last day can shift by one depending on the year.
It is an earth sign, with ♉︎ Taurus and ♑︎ Capricorn, and a mutable sign that closes the Northern Hemisphere summer. Mercury ☿ rules Virgo, just as it rules ♊︎ Gemini.
Virgo ♍︎ or Scorpio ♏︎?
These two signs get swapped all the time, because both start with an m. Virgo ♍︎ ends in a closed loop that curls inward, while Scorpio ♏︎ ends in a straight tail with an arrowhead, the scorpion's sting. If the tail points outward like an arrow, it is the Scorpio symbol.
At small sizes the difference is hard to see, so open the ⋯ menu on a symbol to check its name before you paste it. Like all twelve signs, ♍︎ also exists as an emoji: keep Symbol style on Text to copy it with the invisible U+FE0E that keeps it flat, or choose Emoji for the purple square.
Virgo bio ideas and typing
Simple combos work well: ♍︎ Virgo, 🌾 ♍︎ 🌾, ✿ ♍︎ ✿, or ♍︎ 09.09 with your birthday. For a softer look, mix in flower symbols like ✿ or ❀.
To type ♍︎, search "Virgo" in the emoji panel (Windows key + . on Windows or Control + Command + Space on a Mac). In Word, type 264D and press Alt + X. More signs are on the zodiac sign symbols page.