cardinal: Meaning and Definition of
car•di•nal
Pronunciation: (kär'dn-l), [key] — adj.
- of prime importance; chief; principal: of cardinal significance.
- of the color cardinal.
—n. - a high ecclesiastic appointed by the pope to the College of Cardinals and ranking above every other ecclesiastic but the pope.
- Also calleda crested grosbeak, Cardinalis cardinalis, of North America, the male of which is bright red.
- any of various similar birds.
- a deep, rich red color.
- a woman's short cloak with a hood, originally made of scarlet cloth and popularly worn in the 18th century.
- See
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.