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Synonyms

cardinal virtues

British  

plural noun

  1. the most important moral qualities, traditionally justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Strip away the Crunchwraps, the Big Macs, the PlayPlaces, the sentient taste buds and the nihilistic Facebook feeds and you're left with American fast-food's three cardinal virtues: profitability, uniformity and automation.

From Salon • Aug. 22, 2023

“One of the cardinal virtues within McKinsey is confidentiality,” a former McKinsey associate, Ethan M. Rasiel, wrote in a 1999 book called “The McKinsey Way.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2019

It’s a tribute to sloth, slacking, impossible yearnings — the cardinal virtues.

From New York Times • Dec. 5, 2019

But thoroughness and transparency, in lesser matters as well as these of life and death, are cardinal virtues regardless.

From Washington Times • Aug. 13, 2018

Every one suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald