See Also: cardinal(encyclopedia)
cardinal sin(dictionary)
cardinal(1)(dictionary)
cardinal(2)(dictionary)
cardinal(medicine)
CARDINAL, eccl(law)
cardinal 2, adjective(dictionary)
cardinal 1, noun(dictionary)
cardinal (as used in expressions)(encyclopedia)
cardinal flower(encyclopedia)

cardinal(1) (iou)



cardinal adjective. LME.
[Old & mod. French, or Latin cardinalis, from cardo, cardin- hinge: see -AL1. Branch II from CARDINAL noun.]
I.
On which something hinges; fundamental, crucial; important; pre-eminent. LME.
cardinal humour: see HUMOUR noun. cardinal number, cardinal numeral any of the positive whole numbers, one, two, three, etc., showing how many elements there are in a certain set (cf. ordinal number, ordinal numeral s.v. ORDINAL adjective 2); any of a series of analogous transfinite numbers. cardinal point any of the four main points of the compass, north, south, east, and west. cardinal vein any of a number of veins which drain the head and trunk in an embryo. cardinal virtue each of the four chief moral virtues (orig. of scholastic philosophy), justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude (also called natural virtue); more widely, each of seven chief virtues comprising these with the three theological virtues; gen. an outstanding quality, a particular excellence. cardinal vowel each of a series of vowel sounds established by the British phonetician Daniel Jones (1881-1967), used as a standard of reference to assist in the description and classification of vowel sounds in any language. cardinal wind: blowing from a cardinal point.
A. Burgess It was a cardinal rule in the East not to show one's true feelings.
Zoology. Of or pertaining to the hinge of a bivalve. M19.
II. Corresp. to CARDINAL noun 1 (merging with attrib. uses).
Belonging to the sacred college; appointed to the Roman diocese. With a title: that is also a cardinal. M17.
cardinal vicar the Pope's delegate acting as bishop for the diocese of Rome.
Of deep scarlet (as a cardinal's robe). L19.
cardinally adverb E17.