HOW TO PRONOUNCE
cardinal
/ˈkɑɹd(ɪ)nəl/
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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:47
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What does cardinal mean?
adjective
- Of fundamental importance; crucial, pivotal.
- Of or relating to the cardinal directions (north, south, east and west).
- Describing a “natural” number used to indicate quantity (e.g., zero, one, two, three), as opposed to an ordinal number indicating relative position.
More meanings (16)
adjective
- Having a bright red color (from the color of a Catholic cardinal’s cassock).
- Being one of the signs Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, associated with initiation, creation, and force.
noun
- One of the officials appointed by the pope in the Roman Catholic Church, ranking only below the pope, equal to the patriarchs, constituting the special college which elects the pope.
- Any of various species of New-World passerine songbird in the genus Cardinalis, or in the family Cardinalidae more generally, or of similar appearance and once considered to be related to the former; so called because of their red plumage. (See Wikipedia article for taxonomical information.)
- A deep red color, somewhat less vivid than scarlet, the traditional colour of a Catholic cardinal's cassock. (same as cardinal red)
- Ellipsis of cardinal number, a number indicating quantity, or the size of a set (e.g., 0, 1, 2, 3). (See Cardinal_number.)
- Ellipsis of cardinal numeral, a word used to represent a cardinal number.
- Ellipsis of cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), a flowering plant.
- Ellipsis of cardinal tetra (Paracheirodon axelrodi), a freshwater fish.
- A player on the St. Louis Cardinals team.
- A player on the Arizona Cardinals team.
- A student or player on a sports team at the University of Louisville.
- A player on a sports team at Stanford University.
- (historical) A woman's short cloak with a hood, originally made of scarlet cloth.
- (obsolete) Mulled red wine.
proper noun
- A surname from French common among French Canadians as well as Cree and Métis indigenous peoples in Canada.
Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0
IPA pronunciation
/ˈkɑɹd(ɪ)nəl/
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.
In the pages of books
See this word in context.
They went with the crowd down Cardinal Street, where they presently reached the bridge, and the gay barges burst upon their view.
But by far the most terrible champion who now appeared was Cardinal Bellarmin, one of the greatest theologians the world has known.
More book examples (3)
It would seem that the swamp, so appreciated by his kindred, should have been sufficient for the Cardinal, but it was not.
Their cardinal principles were freedom of speech, freedom of belief, and liberty to retain membership in their own denominations if they desired.
I believe it is known to you in what way Cardinal Cajetan, your imprudent and unfortunate, nay unfaithful, legate, acted towards me.