cardinal

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: car=di=nal

CIDE DICTIONARY

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

 Of fundamental importance; preëminent; superior; chief; principal.  [1913 Webster]
"The cardinal intersections of the zodiac."  [1913 Webster]
"Impudence is now a cardinal virtue."  [1913 Webster]
"But cardinal sins, and hollow hearts, I fear ye."  [1913 Webster]

Cardinal numbers, the numbers one, two, three, etc., in distinction from first, second, third, etc., which are called ordinal numbers. -- Cardinal points (a) (Geol.) The four principal points of the compass, or intersections of the horizon with the meridian and the prime vertical circle, north, south east, and west. (b) (Astrol.) The rising and setting of the sun, the zenith and nadir. -- Cardinal signs (Astron.) Aries, Libra, Cancer, and Capricorn. -- Cardinal teeth (Zoöl.), the central teeth of bivalve shell. See Bivalve. -- Cardinal veins (Anat.), the veins in vertebrate embryos, which run each side of the vertebral column and returm the blood to the heart. They remain through life in some fishes. -- Cardinal virtues, preëminent virtues; among the ancients, prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude. -- Cardinal winds, winds which blow from the cardinal points due north, south, east, or west.

cardinal, n. [F. carinal, It. cardinale, LL. cardinalis (ecclesiæ Romanæ). See Cardinal, a.].

•  One of the ecclesiastical princes who constitute the pope's council, or the sacred college.  [1913 Webster]

  " The cardinals are appointed by the pope. Since the time of Sixtus V., their number can never exceed seventy (six of episcopal rank, fifty priests, fourteen deacons), and the number of cardinal priests and deacons is seldom full. When the papel chair is vacant a pope is elected by the college of cardinals from among themselves. The cardinals take precedence of all dignitaries except the pope. The principal parts of a cardinal's costume are a red cassock, a rochet, a short purple mantle, and a red hat with a small crown and broad brim, with cords and tessels of a special pattern hanging from it."  [1913 Webster]

  "The clerics of the supreme Chair are called Cardinals, as undoubtedly adhering more nearly to the hinge by which all things are moved."  [1913 Webster]
•  A woman's short cloak with a hood.  [1913 Webster]

  "Where's your cardinal! Make haste."  [1913 Webster]
•  Mulled red wine.  Hotten.  [1913 Webster]
•  the cardinal bird, also called the northern cardinal.  [PJC]

Cardinal bird, or Cardinal grosbeak (Zoöl.), an American song bird (Cardinalis cardinalis, or Cardinalis Virginianus), of the family Fringillidæ, or finches of which the male has a bright red plumage, and both sexes have a high, pointed crest on its head; -- it is also called the northern cardinal or eastern cardinal. The males have loud and musical notes resembling those of a fife. Other related species are also called cardinal birds. -- Cardinal flower (Bot.), an herbaceous plant (Lobelia cardinalis) bearing brilliant red flowers of much beauty. -- Cardinal red, a color like that of a cardinal's cassock, hat, etc.; a bright red, darker than scarlet, and between scarlet and crimson.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

cardinal, n. & adj.
--n.
1 (as a title Cardinal) a leading dignitary of the RC Church, one of the college electing the Pope.
2 any small American songbird of the genus Richmondena, the males of which have scarlet plumage.
3 hist. a woman's cloak, orig. of scarlet cloth with a hood.
--adj.
1 chief, fundamental; on which something hinges.
2 of deep scarlet (like a cardinal's cassock).

Idiom

cardinal-flower the scarlet lobelia. cardinal humour see HUMOUR. cardinal numbers those denoting quantity (one, two, three, etc.), as opposed to ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc.). cardinal points the four main points of the compass (N., S., E., W.). cardinal virtues the chief moral attributes: justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude.

Derivative

cardinalate n. (in sense 1 of n.). cardinally adv. cardinalship n. (in sense 1 of n.).

Etymology

ME f. OF f. L cardinalis f. cardo -inis hinge: in Eng. first applied to the four virtues on which conduct 'hinges'

THESAURUS

cardinal

Gaussian integer, Grand Penitentiary, Holy Father, Titian, Titian-red, abuna, algebraic number, algorismic, algorithmic, aliquot, all-absorbing, antipope, arch, archbishop, archdeacon, archpriest, banner, bishop, bishop coadjutor, bricky, canon, capital, cardinal bishop, cardinal deacon, cardinal number, cardinal priest, carmine, carnation, carnelian, central, cerise, champion, chaplain, cherry, cherry-colored, cherry-red, chief, coadjutor, complex number, constitutive, controlling, crimson, crowning, curate, damask, dean, decimal, defective number, differential, digital, diocesan, dominant, ecclesiarch, essential, even, even number, exarch, exponential, ferruginous, fiery, figural, figurate, figurative, finite, finite number, fire-red, first, flame-colored, flame-red, flaming, focal, foremost, fraction, fractional, fundamental, glowing, great, gules, headmost, hegemonic, hierarch, high priest, highest, hot, imaginary, imaginary number, impair, important, impossible, incarmined, infinite, infinity, inflamed, infrared, integer, integral, iron-red, irrational, irrational number, key, lake-colored, laky, lateritious, leading, lobster-red, logarithmic, logometric, lurid, magisterial, main, maroon, master, metropolitan, mixed number, necessary, negative, numeral, numerary, numerative, numeric, odd, ordinal, overriding, overruling, pair, papa, paramount, patriarch, penitentiary, pivotal, polygonal number, pontiff, pope, port-wine, positive, possible, prebendary, predominant, preeminent, prelate, premier, preponderant, prevailing, primal, primary, primate, prime, prime number, principal, puce, pure imaginary, radical, ranking, rational, rational number, real, real number, reciprocal, rectangular number, rector, red, red-dyed, red-looking, reddened, reddish, reddish-amber, reddish-brown, round number, rubicund, rubiginous, rubric, rubricose, ruby, ruby-colored, ruby-red, ruddied, ruddy, rufescent, rufous, ruling, rural dean, rust, rust-red, rusty, scarlet, serial number, sovereign, special, stammel, star, stellar, subdean, submultiple, suffragan, supereminent, supreme, surd, tile-red, topflight, topmost, transcendental, transcendental number, transfinite number, uppermost, vermilion, vicar, vinaceous, vital, warm, whole number, wine, wine-colored, wine-red

ROGET THESAURUS

cardinal

Importance

N importance, consequence, moment, prominence, consideration, mark, materialness, import, significance, concern, emphasis, interest, greatness, superiority, notability, weight, value, usefulness, gravity, seriousness, solemnity, no joke, no laughing matter, pressure, urgency, stress, matter of life and death, memorabilia, notabilia, great doings, red-letter day, great thing, great point, main chance, the be all and the end all, cardinal point, substance, gist, sum and substance, gravamen, head and front, important part, principal part, prominent part, essential part, half the battle, sine qua non, breath of one's nostrils, cream, salt, core, kernel, heart, nucleus, keynote, keystone, corner stone, trump card, salient points, top sawyer, first fiddle, prima donna, chief, triton among the minnows, 'it', important, of importance, momentous, material, to the point, not to be overlooked, not to be despised, not to be sneezed at, egregious, weighty, of note, notable, prominent, salient, signal, memorable, remarkable, unforgettable, worthy of remark, worthy of notice, never to be forgotten, stirring, eventful, grave, serious, earnest, noble, grand, solemn, impressive, commanding, imposing, urgent, pressing, critical, instant, paramount, essential, vital, all-absorbing, radical, cardinal, chief, main, prime, primary, principal, leading, capital, foremost, overruling, of vital importance in the front rank, first-rate, superior, considerable, marked, rare, significant, telling, trenchant, emphatic, pregnant, tanti, materially, in the main, above all, kat' exochin, par excellence, to crown all, to beat all, expende Hannibalem!.

Goodness

N goodness, excellence, merit, virtue, value, worth, price, super-excellence, supereminence, superiority, perfection, coup de maitre, masterpiece, chef d'ouvre, prime, flower, cream, elite, pick, A, nonesuch, nonpareil, creme de la creme, flower of the flock, cock of the roost, salt of the earth, champion, prodigy, tidbit, gem, gem of the first water, bijou, precious stone, jewel, pearl, diamond, ruby, brilliant, treasure, good thing, rara avis, one in a thousand, beneficence, good man, harmless, hurtless, unobnoxious, innocuous, innocent, inoffensive, beneficial, valuable, of value, serviceable, advantageous, edifying, profitable, salutary, favorable, propitious fair, good, good as gold, excellent, better, superior, above par, nice, fine, genuine, best, choice, select, picked, elect, recherche, rare, priceless, unparagoned, unparalleled, superlatively, good, bully, crackajack, giltedged, superfine, superexcellent, of the first water, first-rate, first-class, high- wrought, exquisite, very best, crack, prime, tiptop, capital, cardinal, standard, inimitable, admirable, estimable, praiseworthy, pleasing, couleur de rose, precious, of great price, costly, worth its weight in gold, worth a Jew's eye, priceless, invaluable, inestimable, precious as the apple of the eye, tolerable, up to the mark, unexceptionable, unobjectionable, satisfactory, tidy, in good condition, in fair condition, fresh, sound, beneficially, well, Jewels five words long, long may such goodness live!, the luxury of doing good.

Clergy

N clergy, clericals, ministry, priesthood, presbytery, the cloth, the desk, clergyman, divine, ecclesiastic, churchman, priest, presbyter, hierophant, pastor, shepherd, minister, father, father in Christ, padre, abbe, cure, patriarch, reverend, black coat, confessor, dignitaries of the church, ecclesiarch, hierarch, ebdomarius, eminence, reverence, elder, primate, metropolitan, archbishop, bishop, prelate, diocesan, suffragan, dean, subdean, archdeacon, prebendary, canon, rural dean, rector, parson, vicar, perpetual curate, residentiary, beneficiary, incumbent, chaplain, curate, deacon, deaconess, preacher, reader, lecturer, capitular, missionary, propagandist, Jesuit, revivalist, field preacher, churchwarden, sidesman, clerk, precentor, choir, almoner, suisse, verger, beadle, sexton, sacristan, acolyth, acolothyst, acolyte, altar boy, chorister, Pope, Papa, pontiff, high priest, cardinal, ancient flamen, flamen, confessor, penitentiary, spiritual director, cenobite, conventual, abbot, prior, monk, friar, lay brother, beadsman, mendicant, pilgrim, palmer, canon regular, canon secular, Franciscan, Friars minor, Minorites, Observant, Capuchin, Dominican, Carmelite, Augustinian, Gilbertine, Austin Friars, Black Friars, White Friars, Gray Friars, Crossed Friars, Crutched Friars, Bonhomme, Carthusian, Benedictine, Cistercian, Trappist, Cluniac, Premonstatensian, Maturine, Templar, Hospitaler, Bernardine, Lorettine, pillarist, stylite, abbess, prioress, canoness, religieuse, nun, novice, postulant, prophet, priest, high priest, Levite, Rabbi, Rabbin, Rebbe, scribe, mullah, muezzin, ayatollah, ulema, imaum, imam, sheik, sufi, kahin, kassis, mufti, hadji, dervish, fakir, faquir, brahmin, guru, kaziaskier, poonghie, sanyasi, druid, bonze, santon, abdal, Lama, talapoin, caloyer, the Reverend, the very Reverend, the Right Reverend, ordained, in orders, called to the ministry.

Clothing

N clothing, investment, covering, dress, raiment, drapery, costume, attire, guise, toilet, toilette, trim, habiliment, vesture, vestment, garment, garb, palliament, apparel, wardrobe, wearing apparel, clothes, things, underclothes, array, tailoring, millinery, finery, full dress, garniture, theatrical properties, outfit, equipment, trousseau, uniform, regimentals, continentals, canonicals, livery, gear, harness, turn-out, accouterment, caparison, suit, rigging, trappings, traps, slops, togs, toggery, day wear, night wear, zoot suit, designer clothes, masquerade, dishabille, morning dress, undress, kimono, lungi, shooting-coat, mufti, rags, tatters, old clothes, mourning, weeds, duds, slippers, robe, tunic, paletot, habit, gown, coat, frock, blouse, toga, smock frock, claw coat, hammer coat, Prince Albert coat, sack coat, tuxedo coat, frock coat, dress coat, tail coat, cloak, pall, mantle, mantlet mantua, shawl, pelisse, wrapper, veil, cape, tippet, kirtle, plaid, muffler, comforter, haik, huke, chlamys, mantilla, tabard, housing, horse cloth, burnoose, burnous, roquelaure, houppelande, surcoat, overcoat, great coat, surtout, spencer, mackintosh, waterproof, raincoat, ulster, P-coat, dreadnought, wraprascal, poncho, cardinal, pelerine, barbe, chudder, jubbah, oilskins, pajamas, pilot jacket, talma jacket, vest, jerkin, waistcoat, doublet, camisole, gabardine, farthingale, kilt, jupe, crinoline, bustle, panier, skirt, apron, pinafore, bloomer, bloomers, chaqueta, songtag, tablier, pants, trousers, trowsers, breeches, pantaloons, inexpressibles, overalls, smalls, small clothes, shintiyan, shorts, jockey shorts, boxer shorts, tights, drawers, panties, unmentionables, knickers, knickerbockers, philibeg, fillibeg, pants suit, culottes, jeans, blue jeans, dungarees, denims, Levis, Calvin Klein, Calvins, Bonjour, Gloria Vanderbilt, headdress, headgear, chapeau, crush hat, opera hat, kaffiyeh, sombrero, jam, tam-o-shanter, tarboosh, topi, sola topi, pagri, puggaree, cap, hat, beaver hat, coonskin cap, castor, bonnet, tile, wideawake, billycock, wimple, nightcap, mobcap, skullcap, hood, coif, capote, calash, kerchief, snood, babushka, head, coiffure, crown, chignon, pelt, wig, front, peruke, periwig, caftan, turban, fez, shako, csako, busby, kepi, forage cap, bearskin, baseball cap, fishing hat, helmet, mask, domino, body clothes, linen, hickory shirt, shirt, sark, smock, shift, chemise, night gown, negligee, dressing gown, night shirt, bedgown, sac de nuit, underclothes, underpants, undershirt, slip, brassiere, corset, stays, corsage, corset, corselet, bodice, girdle, stomacher, petticoat, panties, under waistcoat, jock, athletic supporter, jockstrap, sweater, jersey, cardigan, turtleneck, pullover, sweater vest, neckerchief, neckcloth, tie, ruff, collar, cravat, stock, handkerchief, scarf, bib, tucker, boa, cummerbund, rumal, rabat, shoe, pump, boot, slipper, sandal, galoche, galoshes, patten, clog, sneakers, running shoes, hiking boots, high-low, Blucher boot, wellington boot, Hessian boot, jack boot, top boot, Balmoral, arctics, bootee, bootikin, brogan, chaparajos, chavar, chivarras, chivarros, gums, larrigan, rubbers, showshoe, stogy, veldtschoen, legging, buskin, greave, galligaskin, gamache, gamashes, moccasin, gambado, gaiter, spatterdash, brogue, antigropelos, stocking, hose, gaskins, trunk hose, sock, hosiery, glove, gauntlet, mitten, cuff, wristband, sleeve, swaddling cloth, baby linen, layette, ice wool, taffeta, pocket handkerchief, hanky, hankie, clothier, tailor, milliner, costumier, sempstress, snip, dressmaker, habitmaker, breechesmaker, shoemaker, Crispin, friseur, cordwainer, cobbler, hosier, hatter, draper, linen draper, haberdasher, mercer, diaper, nappy, disposable diaper, cloth diaper, Luvs Huggies, invested, habited, dighted, barbed, barded, clad, costume, shod, chausse, en grande tenue, sartorial, the soul of this man is his clothes.