Cordelia

American  

[kawr-deel-yuh] / kɔrˈdil yə /

noun

1. (in Shakespeare'sKing Lear ) the youngest of Lear's three daughters and the only one who remains loyal to her father.

2. a female given name.

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Cordelia Cultural  

1. The youngest of the king's three daughters in the play King Lear, by William Shakespeare. King Lear at first thinks her ungrateful to him because she refuses to flatter him as her sisters do; he soon finds out that she is the only one of the three who genuinely cares for him.

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Example Sentences

In our alleged golden age of TV, comedy has been Cordelia, the disenfranchised child of a grim medium.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Walter and Cordelia Knott had a problem on their hands: Their fried-chicken restaurant was a massive success.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

The Australian put on 100 with Cordelia Griffith, who made 50 from 29 balls, as Spirit posted 176-5 - their highest total in the women's competition - at Lord's.

From BBC • Aug. 5, 2025

“The Residence” introduces Uzo Aduba’s Cordelia Cupp from a distance and in the dark, as she stares at a high, faraway point through binoculars, standing on the White House lawn.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2025

Cordelia glances over at Grace, as if looking for approval.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood