A cardinal is a high-ranking priest in the Catholic Church.
In 1448, Nicholas was appointed a cardinal.
They were encouraged by a promise from Cardinal Winning.
2. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A cardinal rule or quality is the one that is considered to be the most important.
[formal]
As a salesperson, your cardinal rule is to do everything you can to satisfy a customer.
Harmony, balance and order are cardinal virtues to the French.
Synonyms: principal, first, highest, greatest More Synonyms of cardinal
3. countable noun
A cardinal is a common North American bird. The male has bright red feathers.
English Easy Learning GrammarNumbersThere are two common kinds of number: Cardinal numbers are used in all forms of counting that involve a total. one chair two chairs a hundred people ten ... Read more
cardinal in British English
(ˈkɑːdɪnəl)
noun
1. Roman Catholic Church
any of the members of the Sacred College, ranking next after the pope, who elect the pope and act as his chief counsellors
2. Also called: cardinal red
a deep vivid red colour
3. cardinal number
4. Also called: cardinal grosbeak or (US) redbird
a crested North American bunting, Richmondena (or Pyrrhuloxia) cardinalis, the male of which has a bright red plumage and the female a brown one
5.
a fritillary butterfly, Pandoriana pandora, found in meadows of southern Europe
6.
a woman's hooded shoulder cape worn in the 17th and 18th centuries
adjective
7. (usually prenominal)
fundamentally important; principal
cardinal sin
8.
of a deep vivid red colour
9. astrology
of or relating to the signs Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn
Compare mutable (sense 2), fixed (sense 10)
Derived forms
cardinally (ˈcardinally)
adverb
Word origin
C13: from Latin cardinālis, literally: relating to a hinge, hence, that on which something depends, principal,from cardō hinge
cardinal in American English
(ˈkɑrdənəl)
adjective
1.
of main importance; principal; chief
2.
bright-red, like the robe of a cardinal
noun
3.
one of the Roman Catholic officials appointed by the pope to his council ( College of Cardinals)
4.
bright red
5.
a woman's short cloak, originally red and usually hooded, fashionable in the 18th cent.
6. US
any of various passerine birds (family Emberizidae); esp., a bright-red, crested American species (Cardinalis cardinalis) with a red bill
7.
cardinal number
Derived forms
cardinally (ˈcardinally)
adverb
cardinalship (ˈcardinalˌship)
noun
Word origin
ME < OFr < L cardinalis, principal, chief < cardo, that on which something turns or depends, orig., door hinge: see scherzo; (sense 6) so named because colored like a cardinal's robe
Examples of 'cardinal' in a sentence
cardinal
Beyond them a very elderly cardinal looked up from his solitary meal as though annoyed by their gaiety.
Nabb, Magdalen, Vagheggi, Paolo PROSECUTOR (2004)
I cannot agree with the General Secretary over a matter of cardinal importance.
Dobbs, Michael WALL GAMES (2004)
He had already promised her to two young Spaniards when he was cardinal.
Mario Puzo THE FAMILY (2004)
Word lists with
cardinal
butterfly, coat
In other languages
cardinal
British English: cardinal NOUN
A cardinal is a high-ranking priest in the Catholic church.
He was appointed a cardinal.
American English: cardinal
Brazilian Portuguese: cardeal
Chinese: 红衣主教天主教的
European Spanish: cardenal
French: cardinal
German: Kardinal
Italian: cardinale
Japanese: 枢機卿
Korean: 추기경
European Portuguese: cardeal
Latin American Spanish: cardenal
British English: cardinal ADJECTIVE
A cardinal rule or quality is the one that is considered to be the most important.
As a salesman, your cardinal rule is to do everything you can to satisfy a customer.
American English: cardinal
Brazilian Portuguese: cardeal
Chinese: 首要的
European Spanish: fundamental
French: fondamental
German: Haupt-
Italian: cardinale
Japanese: 最も重要な
Korean: 가장 중요한
European Portuguese: principal
Latin American Spanish: fundamental
All related terms of 'cardinal'
cardinal fish
a small brightly coloured fish found in shallow tropical seas, of the family Apogonidae , the male of which often broods eggs in its mouth
cardinal red
a deep , vivid red colour
cardinal sin
If you describe an action as a cardinal sin , you are indicating that some people strongly disapprove of it.
cardinal beetle
any of various large N temperate beetles of the family Pyrochroidae, such as Pyrochroa serraticornis, typically scarlet or partly scarlet in colour
cardinal error
An error is something you have done which is considered to be incorrect or wrong , or which should not have been done.
cardinal flower
a campanulaceous plant, Lobelia cardinalis of E North America , that has brilliant scarlet , pink , or white flowers
cardinal humour
any of the four bodily fluids (blood, phlegm , choler or yellow bile , melancholy or black bile) formerly thought to determine emotional and physical disposition
cardinal number
A cardinal number is a number such as 1, 3, or 10 that tells you how many things there are in a group but not what order they are in. Compare → ordinal number .
cardinal point
The cardinal points are the four main points of the compass , north , south , east , and west .
cardinal points
the four main points of the compass : north, south , east , and west
cardinal spider
a large house spider , Tegenaria parietina
cardinal virtue
anything considered to be an important or characteristic virtue
cardinal vowels
a set of theoretical vowel sounds, based on the shape of the mouth needed to articulate them, that can be used to classify the vowel sounds of any speaker in any language
cardinal grosbeak
any of various mostly tropical American buntings, such as the cardinal and pyrrhuloxia , the males of which have brightly coloured plumage
cardinal virtues
the most important moral qualities, traditionally justice , prudence , temperance , and fortitude
humour
You can refer to the amusing things that people say as their humour .
Chinese translation of 'cardinal'
cardinal
(ˈkɑːdɪnl)
adj
[rule, principle]基本的 (jīběn de)
n(c)
(Rel) 红(紅)衣主教 (hóngyī zhǔjiào)
(adjective)
Definition
fundamentally important
The cardinal rule is to do everything you can to satisfy the customer.
Synonyms
principal
Their principal concern is that of winning the next election.
first
The first priority for development is to defeat inflation.
highest
greatest
leading
Britain's future as a leading industrial nation depends on investment.
important
The important thing is that you rest.
chief
Financial stress is acknowledged as a chief reason for divorce.
The job went to one of his chief rivals.
main
My main concern now is to protect the children.
prime
Political stability is a prime concern.
central
a central part of government policy
key
essential
Two essential elements must be proven: motive and opportunity.
primary
His primary aim in life is to be happy.
fundamental
the fundamental principles of democracy
paramount
The welfare of the children must be of paramount importance.
foremost
He was one of the world's foremost scholars.
pre-eminent
He is the pre-eminent political figure in the country.