1 cardinal | Definition of cardinal
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

cardinal

noun
car·​di·​nal | \ ˈkärd-nəl How to pronounce cardinal (audio) , ˈkär-də-\
plural cardinals

Definition of cardinal

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a high ecclesiastical official of the Roman Catholic Church who ranks next below the pope and is appointed by him to assist him as a member of the college of cardinals (see college sense 4)
2 : cardinal number —usually used in plural
3a [ from its color, resembling that of the cardinal's robes ] : a crested finch (Cardinalis cardinalis of the family Cardinalidae) of the eastern U.S. and adjacent Canada, the southwestern U.S., and Mexico to Belize which has a black face and heavy red bill in both sexes and is nearly completely red in the male
b : any of several red-headed passerine birds (genus Paroaria of the family Thraupidae) of South America and the West Indies that are grayish to blackish above with white underparts

cardinal

adjective

Definition of cardinal (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : of basic importance a cardinal principle
2 : very serious or grave a cardinal sin

Illustration of cardinal

Illustration of cardinal

Noun

cardinal 3

In the meaning defined above

Other Words from cardinal Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about cardinal

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from cardinal

Noun

cardinalship \ ˈkärd-​nəl-​ˌship How to pronounce cardinalship (audio) , ˈkär-​də-​ \ noun

Adjective

cardinally adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for cardinal

Adjective

essential, fundamental, vital, cardinal mean so important as to be indispensable. essential implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character. conflict is essential in drama fundamental applies to something that is a foundation without which an entire system or complex whole would collapse. fundamental principles of algebra vital suggests something that is necessary to a thing's continued existence or operation. cut off from vital supplies cardinal suggests something on which an outcome turns or depends. a cardinal rule in buying a home

Did You Know?

Our word cardinal goes back to the Latin adjective cardinalis, which meant “serving as a hinge.” The root of this word is the noun cardo, meaning “hinge.” Since a hinge is the device on which a door turns, cardo came to mean “something on which a development turns” or “something very important.” Later the Roman Catholic Church used the adjective cardinalis to refer to principal churches and priests and then to mean “a clergyman of the highest rank, next to the pope.” When borrowed into English, cardinalis became cardinal. A cardinal's robes are a deep red color, and this color influenced the naming of the bird whose color was like that of a cardinal's robes.

Examples of cardinal in a Sentence

Noun

 The Pope appointed two new cardinals this year.

Adjective

 the cardinal principles of news reporting My cardinal rule is to always be honest.
See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 Heads rolling on cobblestones, the robes of kings and cardinals, Matisse's The Red Studio, the red in the tricolor flag of Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix. — David Coggins, Town & Country, "Author and Illustrator David Coggins Takes Us Through Paris in His Story, 1999," 10 Dec. 2015 In fact a number of the cardinals from Brazil and bishops are friends of Pope Francis. — Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Face to face with Pope Francis on Huntington's disease," 7 June 2017 One small clearing is dotted with several boulders where children could sit and watch for goldfinches and cardinals at three bird feeders. — Jim Barnes, Washington Post, "Loudoun’s Hill School Arboretum included in Archives of American Gardens," 8 May 2017 There are deer in the woods, large-mouth bass in the water and cardinals in the air. — Jeanne Houck, Cincinnati.com, "Donors buy Grand Valley park rangers a new home," 28 Apr. 2017 A year later, Pope John Paul II made Pell a cardinal. — Andrew Sullivan, Daily Intelligencer, "Cardinal Pell and the Vatican’s Day of Reckoning," 30 June 2017 A cardinal in charge of the Vatican's finances has been charged with multiple sexual offenses by Australian police, in one of the most significant indictments against a top-ranking leader of the Catholic Church. — Julie Zauzmer, Alaska Dispatch News, "Top-ranking Vatican cardinal charged with sex offenses in Australia," 29 June 2017 His January 20 inauguration ceremony featured an unprecedented six speakers, including a rabbi and a cardinal. — Adam Chandler, The Atlantic, "Trump Goes With God—and the Gamble Mostly Pays Off," 25 May 2017 The main Italian in the cast is Silvio Orlando as a beleaguered, mole-flecked cardinal tasked with advising this cocky young Pope, and thwarted at nearly every turn. — Richard Lawson, VanityFair.com, "For a Troubled Nation, The Young Pope Hits Too Close for Comfort," 13 Jan. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

 Colin Forkner Corona del Mar :: My cardinal rule is no cotton. — Los Angeles Times, "Readers’ laundry tips and secrets for keeping clothes clean while traveling," 4 Sep. 2019 Today, Sophie Turner makes the case for breaking another cardinal rule of style: socks and sandals, worn together. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "Are Socks and Sandals a No-No? Sophie Turner Begs to Differ," 20 Aug. 2019 More Cards: KFC Yum Center court gets a makeover with dunking cardinalFollowing that, the Cards will open its ACC schedule and the regular season with the same game, a Nov. 5 date at Miami to be televised on the new ACC Network. — Gentry Estes, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville basketball's 2019-20 schedule includes Michigan, Texas Tech, WKU," 8 Aug. 2019 The commitment means the entire Mobley family will soon be in cardinal and gold. — Adam Grosbard, Orange County Register, "Report: USC picks up commitment of No. 1 basketball prospect, Rancho Christian star Evan Mobley," 5 Aug. 2019 Lock’s cardinal place in the history of the sonnet cycle may not be news to scholars. — Jamie Quatro, The New Yorker, "The Hidden Life of a Forgotten Sixteenth-Century Female Poet," 5 Aug. 2019 Two cardinal rules in this city: (1) Don’t call it Frisco. — Kevin Fisher-paulson, SFChronicle.com, "An olive branch to S.F. sourdough lovers," 30 July 2019 But the 30-year-old has also done something which many United fans would consider a cardinal sin - backing Liverpool to win the Champions League final.

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!