cardinal

[kahr-dn-l]

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adjective

of prime importance; chief; principal: of cardinal significance.

of the color cardinal.

noun

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

Also called cardinal grosbeak. a crested grosbeak, Cardinalis cardinalis, of North America, the male of which is bright red.

any of various similar birds.

a deep, rich red color.

a woman's short cloak with a hood, originally made of scarlet cloth and popularly worn in the 18th century.

cardinal number.

Origin of cardinal

before 1150; Middle English, Old English < Latin cardinālis, equivalent to cardin- (stem of cardō) hinge, hence, something on which other things hinge + -ālis -al¹

Related formscar·di·nal·ly, adverbcar·di·nal·ship, nounin·ter·car·di·nal, adjectivepost·car·di·nal, adjectivesub·car·di·nal, adjectivesub·car·di·nal·ly, adverbun·car·di·nal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for cardinals

sum, total, figure, statistic, rose, flaming, maroon, glowing, cardinal, crimson, coral, wine, evangelist, cleric, pontiff, rabbi, pastor, preacher, priest, chaplain

Examples from the Web for cardinals

Contemporary Examples of cardinals

The pontiff blasts the selfishness, arrogance and detachment of the cardinals in Rome.
Pope Francis Denounces the Vatican Elite’s 'Spiritual Alzheimer’s'
Barbie Latza Nadeau
December 23, 2014
The central issue is de facto immunity traditionally given to bishops and cardinals.
How Pope Francis Became the World’s BFF
Jason Berry
December 21, 2014
The cardinals had such a bad reputation that the very term “cardinal” became an insult in Renaissance Rome.
Great Renaissance Art Thrived Amid Filth
Nick Romeo
December 3, 2014
But at a consistory of cardinals in Vatican City on Monday, Francis made his case.
The Pope’s Risky Trip
Barbie Latza Nadeau
November 21, 2014
He has to contend with much more conservative bishops, archbishops, and cardinals appointed by his two immediate predecessors.
Pope Francis Pushes the Church Another Step Further on Gays
Gene Robinson
October 16, 2014

Historical Examples of cardinals

He was told that the cardinals were not there to receive a challenge to battle.
Cameos from English History, from Rollo to Edward II
Charlotte Mary Yonge
He had seen all the cardinals whose influence could be of use to him.
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete
Emile Zola
The first to do so were Cardinals d'Estrees and Portocarrero.
The Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, Complete
Duc de Saint-Simon
I have continually seen there the Princes of the blood and the cardinals.
The Memoirs of Louis XIV., His Court and The Regency, Complete
Duc de Saint-Simon
The cardinals relegated the decision of the matter to the Pope.
The Life of Cesare Borgia
Raphael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for cardinals

cardinal

noun

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

Also called: cardinal red a deep vivid red colour

See cardinal number

Also called: cardinal grosbeak, (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

a fritillary butterfly, Pandoriana pandora, found in meadows of southern Europe

a woman's hooded shoulder cape worn in the 17th and 18th centuries

adjective

(usually prenominal) fundamentally important; principalcardinal sin

of a deep vivid red colour

astrology of or relating to the signs Aries, Cancer, Libra, and CapricornCompare mutable (def. 2), fixed (def. 10)

Derived Formscardinally, adverb

Word Origin for cardinal

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

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

Word Origin and History for cardinals

cardinal

adj.

"chief, pivotal," early 14c., from Latin cardinalis "principal, chief, essential," from cardo (genitive cardinis) "that on which something turns or depends; pole of the sky," originally "door hinge," of unknown origin. Related: Cardinally.

The cardinal points (1540s) are north, south, east, west. The cardinal sins (c.1600) are too well known to require rehearsal. The cardinal virtues (c.1300) were divided into natural (justice prudence, temperance, fortitude) and theological (faith, hope, charity). The natural ones were the original classical ones, which were amended by Christians. But typically in Middle English only the first four were counted as the cardinal virtues:

Of þe uour uirtues cardinales spekeþ moche þe yealde philosofes. ["Ayenbite of Inwyt," c.1340]

By analogy of this, and cardinal points, cardinal winds, cardinal signs (four zodiacal signs marking the equinoxes and the solstices), the adjective in Middle English acquired an association with the number four.

cardinal

early 12c., "one of the ecclesiastical princes who constitute the sacred college" (short for cardinalis ecclesiae Romanae or episcopus cardinalis), from Latin cardinalis "principal, chief, essential" (see cardinal (adj.)).

Ecclesiastical use began for the presbyters of the chief (cardinal) churches of Rome. The North American songbird (Cardinalis virginianus) is attested from 1670s, so named for its resemblance to the cardinals in their red robes.

cardinals in Culture

cardinals

A group of prominent bishops of the Roman Catholic Church who advise the pope and elect new popes.