cordial

[ kawr-juhl or, esp. British, -dee-uhl ]

/ ˈkɔr dʒəl or, esp. British, -di əl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR cordial ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

courteous and gracious; friendly; warm: a cordial reception.

invigorating the heart; stimulating.

sincere; heartfelt: a cordial dislike.

Archaic. of or relating to the heart.

noun

a strong, sweetened, aromatic alcoholic liquor; liqueur.

a stimulating medicine.

anything that invigorates or exhilarates.

RELATED WORDS

warmly, kindly, hospitably

Nearby words

cordelia, cordelier, cordeliers, cordelle, cordgrass, cordial, cordiality, cordierite, cordiform, cordiform pelvis, cordiform uterus

Origin of cordial

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin cordiālis, equivalent to Latin cordi- (stem of cor) heart + -ālis -al¹

SYNONYMS FOR cordial

1 affectionate, genial.

2 cheering.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR cordial ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

cor·dial·ly, adverbcor·dial·ness, nounpre·cor·dial, adjectivequa·si-cor·dial, adjective

qua·si-cor·dial·ly, adverbsu·per·cor·dial, adjectivesu·per·cor·dial·ly, adverbsu·per·cor·dial·ness, nounun·cor·dial, adjectiveun·cor·dial·ly, adverbun·cor·dial·ness, noun

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

Examples from the Web for cordially

Abramoff clearly has come to cordially despise his old associate Ralph Reed—and repeats story after story intended to damage him.
David’s Book Club: ‘Capitol Punishment’|David Frum|March 23, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Was she mistaken that they were full of a wordless apology, she wondered, even as she greeted the two cordially.
The Trail of Conflict|Emilie Baker Loring
I highly appreciate, and cordially reciprocate those warm and concurrent expressions of confidence and affection.
The Story of My Life|Egerton Ryerson
"With pleasure," said Cashel, cordially, and entered the cottage.
Roland Cashel|Charles James Lever

In the following remarks, also, I most cordially agree with him.
Diary in America, Series Two|Frederick Marryat (AKA Captain Marryat)
Mr. Mason was gratified to meet Roger Carrington again in the relationship to which he had once so cordially welcomed him.
A Little Girl in Old Washington|Amanda M. Douglas

British Dictionary definitions for cordially

cordial

/ (ˈkɔːdɪəl) /

adjective

warm and friendlya cordial greeting

giving heart; stimulating

noun

a drink with a fruit base, usually sold in concentrated form and diluted with water before being drunklime cordial

another word for liqueur

Derived Forms

cordially, adverbcordialness, noun

Word Origin for cordial

C14: from Medieval Latin cordiālis, from Latin cor heart

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