cardinal virtue
Americannoun
-
anything considered to be an important or characteristic virtue.
Tenacity is his cardinal virtue.
-
Ancient Philosophy. cardinal virtues, justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude.
Etymology
Origin of cardinal virtue
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50
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.
"I heard that forgiveness is a cardinal virtue for Hindus," I said.
From Salon ● Jan. 3, 2021
Doubt is a cardinal virtue in the sciences, which advance through skeptics’ willingness to question the experts.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 16, 2020
Truth was the cardinal virtue of Zoroastrianism, with lying being synonymous with evil.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2020
At Cravath, staying out of the media was a cardinal virtue.
From New York Times ● Sep. 21, 2018
There was the portrait of another monk holding on to a ladder, each rung of which was labelled with a cardinal virtue.
From Faces and Places by Sir Henry W. (Henry William) Lucy
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
