cordial

American  

[kawr-juhl, -dee-uhl] / ˈkɔr dʒəl, -di əl /

adjective

1. courteous and gracious; friendly; warm.

   a cordial reception.

   Synonyms:

   genial, affectionate

2. invigorating the heart; stimulating.

3. sincere; heartfelt.

   a cordial dislike.

4. Archaic. of or relating to the heart.

---

noun

• cordials
  plural

1. a strong, sweetened, aromatic alcoholic liquor; liqueur

2. a stimulating medicine.

3. anything that invigorates or exhilarates.

cordial British  

/ ˈkɔːdɪəl /

adjective

1. warm and friendly

   a cordial greeting

2. giving heart; stimulating

---

noun

1. a drink with a fruit base, usually sold in concentrated form and diluted with water before being drunk

   lime cordial

2. another word for liqueur

Usage

What does cordial mean? Cordial means friendly and polite. It used to describe people and their behavior toward others in social situations, especially when they do not know each other well. When you treat people cordially, you treat them with a sincere friendliness and warmth. A cordial greeting is a warm and friendly one, especially one intended to make someone feel welcome. The quality of being cordial is cordiality. Cordial can also be used as a noun meaning a sweetened liquor (more commonly called a liqueur) or a kind of nonalcoholic fruit-based drink, like lime cordial. Example: My parents were always very cordial and welcoming when I brought new friends home. 

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cordialness
  noun
• supercordialness
  noun
• uncordialness
  noun
• precordial
  adjective
• quasi-cordial
  adjective
• supercordial
  adjective
• uncordial
  adjective
• cordially
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cordials
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cordial

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin cordiālis, equivalent to Latin cordi- (stem of cor ) “heart” + -ālis adjective suffix; see heart ( def. ), -al ¹

Explanation

Use cordial to describe a relationship that is friendly and sincere but not overly close. A cordial greeting is perfectly pleasant but doesn't involve lots of hugging or excessive emotion. You might have cordial relationships with most of the kids in your close, but only confide in your closest friends. In Middle English, this adjective meant "of the heart," borrowed from medieval Latin cordiālis, from Latin cor, "heart." This core sense of "heart" can be seen in the synonyms heartfelt and hearty. The noun cordial originally referred to a medicine or drink that stimulates the heart, but its current sense is "a liqueur."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cordial cordials

In his remarks, Trump was cordial and conciliatory, saying "the second time is always better", joking and praising the media - saying he respects "most of them".

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

Kugel points to attending a wedding where a family member married a “total raging maniac,” and how they dealt with the buildup of delicately balancing being cordial yet firm.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026

Japan and India both historically have maintained cordial relations with Iran, although they grudgingly complied with US sanctions aimed at stopping all other countries from buying Iranian oil.

From Barron's ● May 26, 2026

So how did the King navigate the delicate balance of making a point while staying cordial.

From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026

We went outside into the cordial afternoon sunshine.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles

Britvic makes a range of consumer soft drinks and cordials, including the kind of flavored mixer that analysts see taking up a greater share of sales in bars and pubs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026

Lately, it's offered a wider range of sparkling drinks and cordials.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

Now combined into a single storefront, the current retail space retains raffish details of its liquor-store days, including a retro red-and-blue neon sign and period gilt window lettering advertising cognacs and cordials.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 28, 2022

Also, cordials, chocolate-covered cherries, and other candies with liquid centers are made by coating another filling or piece of fruit in a cooked fondant.

From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2021

Mr. Elwes, being restored by cordials, stated that he had been sick for a long time, and wondered that the old woman did not come to his assistance.

From Curiosities of Human Nature by Anonymous

Related Words

• affectionate
• amicable
• cheerful
• congenial
• cozy
• earnest
• gracious
• heartfelt
• hearty
• jovial
• neighborly
• polite
• sincere
• sympathetic
• warm
• warmhearted
• welcoming