Cardinal — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˈkärd-nəl/ car·di·nal

Meaning & Definition of Cardinal

Cardinal (noun)

  1. a high ecclesiastical official of the Roman Catholic Church who ranks next below the pope and is appointed by him to assist him as a member of the college of cardinals
  2. cardinal number —usually used in plural
  3. a crested finch (Cardinalis cardinalis of the family Cardinalidae) of the eastern U.S. and adjacent Canada, the southwestern U.S., and Mexico to Belize which has a black face and heavy red bill in both sexes and is nearly completely red in the male

Cardinal (adjective)

  1. of basic importance
  2. very serious or grave

Cardinal (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. coming before all others in importance

    "the cardinal rule of medicine: do no harm"

    similar: arch, big, capital, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, main, master, number one, numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, primary, principal, prior, sovereign, supreme
    related: distinguished, eminent, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, prestigious, signal, star, stellar, superior, high-level, senior, top, important, influential, major, mighty, momentous, significant, incomparable, matchless, unequaled, unparalleled, unsurpassed, celebrated, famed, famous, renowned
    opposite: last, least
    near: inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, collateral, inferior, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary

Related Entry: Cardinal virtue (noun)

Cardinal virtue is a different word from Cardinal. The synonyms below are for cardinal virtue, not for cardinal.

  1. a quality that gives something special worth

    "the cardinal virtue of wool is that it retains its insulating properties even when wet"

    similar: distinction, excellence, excellency, grace, merit, value, virtue
    related: advantage, edge, plus, superiority
    opposite: deficiency, demerit, disvalue
    near: blemish, defect, failing, fault, flaw, drawback, minus, negative

Related Entry: Cardinal virtues (noun)

Cardinal virtues is a different word from Cardinal. The synonyms below are for cardinal virtues, not for cardinal.

  1. a quality that gives something special worth

    "the cardinal virtue of wool is that it retains its insulating properties even when wet"

    similar: distinctions, excellences, excellencies, graces, merits, values, virtues
    related: advantages, edges, pluses, superiorities
    opposite: deficiencies, demerits, disvalues
    near: blemishes, defects, failings, faults, flaws, drawbacks, minuses, negatives

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Cardinal

The most common words with a similar meaning to Cardinal:

arch, big, capital, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, main, master, number one, numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, primary, principal, prior, sovereign, supreme

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Cardinal

Words with the opposite meaning of Cardinal:

last, least

Related Words for Cardinal

distinguished, eminent, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, prestigious, signal, star, stellar, superior, high-level, senior, top, important, influential, major, mighty, momentous, significant, incomparable, matchless, unequaled, unparalleled, unsurpassed, celebrated, famed, famous, renowned

Near Antonyms of Cardinal

inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, collateral, inferior, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary

Word Forms of Cardinal

Inflections: cardinals

Derived words: cardinalship (noun), cardinally (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Cardinal

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin cardinalis, from Late Latin cardinalis, adjective see cardinal:2

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Cardinal

Words & Phrases Containing Cardinal

cardinal flower, cardinal number, cardinal point, cardinal virtue, cardinal sin

Frequently Asked Questions about Cardinal

What does "Cardinal" mean?

"Cardinal" means a high ecclesiastical official of the Roman Catholic Church who ranks next below the pope and is appointed by him to assist him as a member of the college of cardinals. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: a high ecclesiastical official of the Roman Catholic Church who ranks next below the pope and is appointed by him to assist him as a member of the college of cardinals.

What is another word for "Cardinal"?

Other words for "Cardinal" include arch, big, capital, central, chief, dominant, first and foremost. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Cardinal" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Cardinal"?

There are 61 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Cardinal". Common alternatives include arch, big, capital, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand and great.

What is the opposite of "Cardinal"?

Antonyms of "Cardinal" include last and least. Near antonyms include inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant and minor.

How do you use "Cardinal" in a sentence?

Examples of "Cardinal" in a sentence: "the cardinal rule of medicine: do no harm".

Is "Cardinal" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Cardinal" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Cardinal" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Cardinal" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Cardinal"?

"Cardinal" is pronounced /ˈkärd-nəl/ and divided into syllables as car·di·nal.