Definitions for cardinal
ˈkɑr dn lcar·di·nal

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:3.2 / 5 votes

1. cardinalnoun

   (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. cardinal number, cardinalnoun

   the number of elements in a mathematical set; denotes a quantity but not the order

3. cardinal, carminenoun

   a variable color averaging a vivid red

4. cardinal, cardinal grosbeak, Richmondena Cardinalis, Cardinalis cardinalis, redbirdadjective

   crested thick-billed North American finch having bright red plumage in the male

5. cardinal, central, fundamental, key, primaladjective

   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. cardinaladjective

   being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order

   "cardinal numbers"

GCIDERate this definition:2.7 / 3 votes

1. Cardinalnoun

   the cardinal bird, also called the northern cardinal.

WiktionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 2 votes

1. cardinalnoun

   A number indicating quantity, or the size of a set, e.g., one, two, three. (See Wikipedia article on Cardinal number.)

   The commonest numerals in Latin, as in English, are the "cardinals"...and the "ordinals"... F. M. Wheelock, Wheelock's Latin, 6th ed. revised (2005), p97

2. cardinalnoun

   An official in the Catholic Church, ranking only below the Pope and the patriarchs. (See Wikipedia article on Catholic cardinals.)

3. cardinalnoun

   A songbird of the finch family, Cardinalis cardinalis.

4. cardinalnoun

   Any of various related passerine birds of the family Cardinalidae. (See Wikipedia article on cardinal birds.)

5. cardinaladjective

   Of fundamental importance; crucial, pivotal.

6. cardinaladjective

   Of or relating to the cardinal directions (north, south, east and west).

   a cardinal mark

7. cardinaladjective

   Describing a "natural" number used to indicate quantity (e.g., one, two, three), as opposed to an ordinal number indicating relative position.

8. cardinaladjective

   Having a bright red color (from the color of a Catholic cardinal's cassock).

9. Cardinalnoun

   A player on the team "The St. Louis Cardinals".

   The commonest numerals in Latin, as in English, are the "cardinals"...and the "ordinals"... F. M. Wheelock, Wheelock's Latin, 6th ed. revised (2005), p97

10. Cardinalnoun

    A player on the team "Arizona Cardinals".

11. Cardinalnoun

    A sports team or a player on a sports team at Stanford University.

12. Cardinalnoun

    A student or player on a sports team at the University of Louisville.

13. Etymology: From cardinal, from cardinalis, from cardo + -alis.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. CARDINALadjective

   Principal; chief.

   Etymology: cardinalis, Lat.

   The divisions of the year in frequent use with astronomers, according to the cardinal intersections of the zodiack; that is, the two equinoctials, and both the solstitial points. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours, b. vi. c. 3.

   His cardinal perfection was industry. Edward Hyde.

2. Cardinalnoun

   One of the chief governours of the Romish church, by whom the pope is elected out of their own number, which contains six bishops, fifty priests, and fourteen deacons, who constitute the sacred college, and are chosen by the pope.

   A cardinal is so stiled, because serviceable to the apostolick see, as an axle or hinge on which the whole government of the church turns; or as they have, from the pope’s grant, the hinge and government of all the affairs of the Romish church. John Ayliffe, Parergon.

   You hold a fair assembly;
   You are a churchman, or, I’ll tell you, cardinal,
   I should judge now unhappily. William Shakespeare, Henry VIII.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. cardinal

   Cardinal can have various meanings depending on the context, but generally, it refers to something related to leadership, importance, or a numerical concept. Here are a few different definitions for the term: 1. As a noun, a cardinal is a high-ranking official in the Catholic Church, second in authority only to the Pope. 2. As an adjective, cardinal can describe something of fundamental importance, crucial, or central to a particular subject. 3. In mathematics, cardinal refers to a number that represents the size or quantity of elements in a specific set. 4. In ornithology, a cardinal is a type of songbird, often recognized for its bright red plumage. 5. In logic, a cardinal is a type of number used to describe the size or quantity of a set, often used to compare sets' sizes.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:3.5 / 2 votes

1. Cardinaladjective

   of fundamental importance; preeminent; superior; chief; principal

2. Cardinaladjective

   one of the ecclesiastical princes who constitute the pope's council, or the sacred college

3. Cardinaladjective

   a woman's short cloak with a hood

4. Cardinaladjective

   mulled red wine

5. Etymology: [L. cardinalis, fr. cardo the hinge of a door, that on which a thing turns or depends: cf. F. cardinal.]

FreebaseRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Cardinal

   A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and making themselves available individually or in groups to the pope if he requests their counsel. Most cardinals have additional duties, such as leading a diocese or archdiocese or running a department of the Roman Curia. A cardinal's other main function is electing the pope whenever, by death or resignation, the see becomes vacant. In 1059, the right of electing the pope was reserved to the principal clergy of Rome and the bishops of the seven suburbicarian sees. During the sede vacante, the period between a pope's death or resignation and the election of his successor, the day-to-day governance of the Church as a whole is in the hands of the College of Cardinals. The right to enter the conclave of cardinals who elect the pope is now limited to those who have not reached the age of 80 years by the day of the pope's death or resignation. The term cardinal at one time applied to any priest permanently assigned or incardinated to a church, or specifically to the senior priest of an important church, based on the Latin cardo, meaning "principal" or "chief". The term was applied in this sense as early as the ninth century to the priests of the tituli of the diocese of Rome. A remnant of these earlier cardinals is retained by the Church of England, where the title of "cardinal" is still held by the two senior members of the College of Minor Canons of St Paul's Cathedral.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Cardinal

   kär′din-al, adj. denoting that on which a thing hinges or depends: principal; of a deep scarlet colour, like a cardinal's cassock.—n. one of the seventy princes of the church constituting the sacred college at Rome, to whom pertains the right of electing a new pope: a short cloak, formerly worn by ladies.—ns. Car′dinalate, Car′dinalship, the office or dignity of a cardinal; Car′dinal-bird, a species of grosbeak, one of the finest song-birds of America, probably so called from its red plumage.—adv. Car′dinally, fundamentally: (Shak., Measure for Measure, II. i. 81) carnally.—Cardinal flower (see Lobelia); Cardinal numbers, numbers expressing how many; Cardinal points, the four chief points of the compass—north, south, east, and west; Cardinal virtues, justice, prudence, temperance, fortitude, so called because the whole of human nature was supposed to hinge or turn upon them—the natural as distinguished from the theological virtues. [Fr.—L. cardinalis—cardo, cardinis, a hinge.]

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. cardinal

   Song lyrics by cardinal -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by cardinal on the Lyrics.com website.

Surnames Frequency by Census RecordsRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. CARDINAL

   According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Cardinal is ranked #7275 in terms of the most common surnames in America.
   
   The Cardinal surname appeared 4,580 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 would have the surname Cardinal.
   
   91.1% or 4,175 total occurrences were White.
   3.3% or 152 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.
   1.4% or 65 total occurrences were of two or more races.
   1.4% or 64 total occurrences were Asian.
   1.3% or 63 total occurrences were Black.
   1.3% or 61 total occurrences were American Indian or Alaskan Native.

Matched Categories

1. • Roman Catholic
   • Bishop
   • Number
   • Red

Anagrams for cardinal »

1. Clarinda

How to pronounce cardinal?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say cardinal in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of cardinal in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of cardinal in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of cardinal in a Sentence

1. Thomas Hobbes, quoted from "Oxygen3, Panda Software:

   Force, and fraud, are in war the two cardinal virtues.

2. Edward McFadden:

   Cardinal Wuerl has spoken extensively over the past two months, conveyed Cardinal Wuerl profound sadness, apologies and contrition, and addressed every issue as it has arisen in a straightforward and transparent manner.

3. Paul Nickel:

   I always knew he was going to be some type of leader in some way. He was entrepreneurial, very engaging, when Paul Nickel're at Stanford Cardinal, Paul Nickel run across a lot of guys like Stanford Cardinal.

4. Georgia Tech.That year Booker:

   Those early years at Stanford Cardinal were the greatest gift to my life, having two years for that, becoming an A student at Stanford Cardinal and still have football and then really fall in love with what became my life's goal, which was service.

5. Joyce:

   Everyone, whether cardinal or scientist, who believes that his own truth is complete and final must become a dogmatist...The more sincere his faith, the more he is bound to persecute, to save others from falling into error.

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