cardinal

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   serving as an essential component

   A cardinal rule.

2. 2
   adj

   being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order

   Cardinal numbers.

3. 3
   adj

   Of fundamental importance; crucial, pivotal.

   A cardinal rule.

4. 4
   adj

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

   A cardinal mark.

Etymology tree Latin cardō Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin cardinālisder. Middle French cardinalbor. English cardinal From Middle French cardinal, from Latin cardinālis (“pertaining to a hinge, hence applied to that on which something turns or depends, important, principal, chief”), from cardin-, cardō (“hinge”) + -ālis, adjectival suffix.

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