What is the Simian Line? (Personality Traits, Love Life, & More)

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Learn more about the meaning and causes of this rare hand feature

Co-authored by Luke Smith, MFA Reviewed by Stina Garbis

Last Updated: August 7, 2023 Fact Checked

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Where is the Simian Line?

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Simian Line Meaning

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Personality Traits

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Love & Career

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Simian Line in Science & Medicine

In palmistry, the simian line is a rare occurrence said to signal a number of powerful personality traits in a person. In medicine, it’s called a “single palmar line,” and is known to occur in only 1 out of 30 people.^{[1]
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MedlinePlus
Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine

Go to source} We’ll break down what this notable crease means in palmistry, as well as give you the medical overview, so that you can get the full picture.

Things You Should Know

In palmistry, the simian line is said to be a merging of the heart and head lines, and runs horizontally across the center of a person’s palm.
The simian line is a rare palmistry feature, and those who have it are said to be intelligent, charming, and successful in their careers.
In medicine, the single palmar line is sometimes linked to a number of genetic conditions, like Down syndrome or fetal alcohol syndrome.

Section 1 of 5:

Where is the Simian Line?

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The simian line runs across your palm horizontally. This line sits just below your knuckles, and is perpendicular to your fingers. It’s often very pronounced and easy to spot, separating the knuckles from the rest of the palm. While most people have 2 horizontal lines on their palms, people with simian lines only have 1.^{[2]
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- The line can appear on 1 or both hands, the latter of which is even rarer.

Section 2 of 5:

Simian Line Meaning

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Many believe the simian line indicates good fortune or power. Palmists say that the simian line is a merging of the heart and head lines. They read the simian line as a signifier that a person will accumulate much wealth or find themselves holding great power at some point in their life.^{[3]
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Research source} It’s also said to indicate great emotional attunement—those with simian lines are said to feel things very deeply, and help others feel the same.
- Some say that men with simian lines are likely to be wealthy or a great businessmen if the line is on their right palm, or great leaders if it’s on their left. These characteristics may be even more apparent on people with simian lines on both hands (known as a “double” simian line).
- They also say that a woman with a simian line may experience great difficulties during her life, but may overcome them with her will and determination.
- Simian lines are neither good nor bad. Rather, they’re simply a sign that a person may have certain characteristics.

Section 3 of 5:

Personality Traits

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Intelligent People with simian lines are said to be sharp thinkers.^{[4]
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Research source} Often, they have very little trouble learning new things, and they pick up new skills with ease. This also makes them fairly confident and self-assured, which makes for a powerful positive feedback loop, and might explain why they sometimes become great leaders.
- Some even say that people with simian lines are geniuses or have especially high IQs, but having a simian line doesn’t guarantee this.
Many think that people with simian lines tend to be not only intelligent, but quick and matter-of-fact thinkers.^{[5]
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Research source} They make decisions in the blink of an eye, and follow through on those decisions. More often than not, those choices tend to be solid and wise, which also suggests that people with simian lines know how to analyze all the variables in any given situation.
People with simian lines are known to be especially affectionate.^{[6]
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Research source} They’re emotionally keen, and can pick up on people’s subtle body language, which makes them adept at socialization. They also have a natural and easygoing charm that draws people around them.
Palmists say that those with simian lines tend to be a bit quick to anger.^{[7]
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Research source} This could be because these people are confident and sure of themselves and their decisions, and so when someone disagrees with them, it causes problems. That said, since people with simian lines are also charming, they can diffuse any situation.
Since people with simian lines are sharp and quick thinkers, they’re also notable risk takers.^{[8]
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Research source} They process the information available to them and make informed choices on how to proceed, meaning that their risks pay off more often than not. However, this can make the people around them anxious and cause a little conflict on the off chance things don’t go so well.

Section 4 of 5:

Love & Career

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People with simian lines may have intense relationships. They value love and affection over almost anything else, which means they’ll go to great lengths to obtain and keep it.^{[9]
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Research source} This makes their relationships, especially the romantic ones, incredibly strong and sometimes a bit turbulent. But people with simian lines are also emotionally sensitive, so they know how much is too much, and when to lay off the gas.
- It’s often said that women with simian lines are especially prone to unlucky or unhealthy relationships.
- Read your marriage line along with your simian line—a long and straight marriage line is said to indicate a long and happy relationship.
Both men and women with simian lines are said to be incredibly capable in professional settings.^{[10]
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Research source} They adapt easily to high amounts of pressure and know when to make big, risky decisions. They also know how to navigate the social aspects of business, making connections and charming the right people to obtain career success.

Section 5 of 5:

Simian Line in Science & Medicine

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The simian line is known as the “single palmar crease” in medicine. This crease runs horizontally across the palm of the hand. Most people have 3 horizontal creases, but those with a single palmar crease only have 1. Males are twice as likely as females to have a single palmar crease, and only 1 in 30 people have it.^{[11]
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- In medicine, professionals rarely use the term “simian line” or “simian crease” to describe this feature. “Simian” refers to a monkey or ape, and so it’s thought that the term has negative connotations.
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Single palmar creases may be associated with certain disorders. While many people with single palmar creases show no signs of disorder, the feature is known to sometimes be caused by certain underlying conditions. These include Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, Trisomy 13 (having 3 copies of chromosome 13), Rubella syndrome (being born from a mother with German measles), and others, such as:^{[12]
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MedlinePlus
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- Aarskog syndrome (genetic disorder linked to altered height, muscles, or skeleton)
- Cohen syndrome (genetic disorder linked to diminished muscle mass)
- Turner syndrome (genetic condition in which a female does not have a pair of X chromosomes)
- Klinefelter syndrome (genetic condition in which a male has an extra X chromosome)
- Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) (genetic disorder in which someone’s body cannot respond to the parathyroid hormone, which controls some bone function)
- Cri du chat syndrome (genetic condition in which chromosome 5 is missing)
- The presence of a single palmar crease isn’t a sure sign that a person has any sort of disorder, but talk to your doctor if you suspect you may have an underlying condition.