1. (noun) cardinal
(Roman Catholic Church) one of a group of more than 100 prominent bishops in the Sacred College who advise the Pope and elect new Popes
2. (noun) cardinal number, cardinal
the number of elements in a mathematical set; denotes a quantity but not the order
3. (noun) cardinal, carmine
a variable color averaging a vivid red
4. (adj) cardinal, cardinal grosbeak, Richmondena Cardinalis, Cardinalis cardinalis, redbird
crested thick-billed North American finch having bright red plumage in the male
5. (adj) cardinal, central, fundamental, key, primal
serving as an essential component
"a cardinal rule"; "the central cause of the problem"; "an example that was fundamental to the argument"; "computers are fundamental to modern industrial structure"
6. (adj) cardinal
being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order
"cardinal numbers"
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Definition of 'cardinal' 
