cardinal

[kahr-dn-l]

noun

1. Roman Catholic Church.,  a high ecclesiastic appointed by the pope to the College of Cardinals and ranking above every other ecclesiastic but the pope.

2. any bird belonging to the genus Cardinalis of the family Cardinalidae (cardinal family), especially the common northern cardinal of North America, the male of which is bright red.

3. any bird of the Americas belonging to the genus Piranga, Chlorothraupis, or Habia, including the scarlet tanager: these three genera were long considered part of the tanager family but are now classified as members of the cardinal family.

4. Also called red-headed cardinal. any bird belonging to the genus Paroaria of the tanager family (Thraupidae), noted for drab plumage other than conspicuously red head parts: most common in South America, Paroaria species include the prominently crested P. coronata, which has been successfully introduced to Puerto Rico and Hawaii.

5. Also called Mediterranean fritillary. a spotted, orange nymphalid butterfly with a green underside, Argynnis pandora, found throughout southern Europe and some adjoining regions of Asia and northern Africa.

6. a deep, rich red color.

7. a woman's short cloak with a hood, originally made of scarlet cloth and popularly worn in the 18th century.

8. cardinal number.

adjective

1. of prime importance; chief; principal.

   of cardinal significance.

2. of the color cardinal.

cardinal

/ ˈkɑːdɪnəl /

noun

1. RC 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. See cardinal number

4. Also called: cardinal grosbeak.  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

1. (usually prenominal) fundamentally important; principal

   cardinal sin

2. of a deep vivid red colour

3. astrology of or relating to the signs Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn Compare mutable fixed

Other Word Forms

• cardinally adverb
• cardinalship noun
• intercardinal adjective
• postcardinal adjective
• subcardinal adjective
• subcardinally adverb
• uncardinally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cardinal¹

First recorded before 1150; Middle English, Old English, from Latin cardinālis, equivalent to cardin- (stem of cardō ) “hinge,” hence, something on which other things hinge + -ālis adjective suffix; -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of cardinal¹

C13: from Latin cardinālis, literally: relating to a hinge, hence, that on which something depends, principal, from cardō hinge

Example Sentences

The stock market is committing a cardinal error: indiscriminately punishing profitable companies with documented ROI along with speculative AI startups with no path to profitability.

Read more on MarketWatch

NBA commissioner Adam Silver has called cap circumvention “a cardinal sin.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The richly-decorated 15th Century chapel is the setting for the conclave of cardinals that elects the pope.

Read more on BBC

Leo, 70, who has a history of missionary work in Peru and is the first pope from the United States, was elected in a conclave of cardinals on May 8.

Read more on Barron's

“This was shocking. It was as if the Vatican had put a listing for cardinals on Craigslist.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• overriding