cardinal

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cardinal" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in contexts related to numbers, principles, or directions, often referring to something of primary importance or fundamental nature. Example: "The cardinal rule of our organization is to always prioritize customer satisfaction."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"You cheerfully break every rule of the theatre that I was brought up to believe in, except the cardinal one of never boring for a split-second".

The Economist

Committer of the cardinal celebrity sin of taking his work seriously.

The Guardian - Film

The church, home to an altar where the Jesuit founder Saint Ignatius of Loyola celebrated his first mass in 1538, had played host to Francis when he was a mere cardinal and archbishop.

The Guardian

His fortunes changed when he was arrested in Guatemala in June 1993 as part of a manhunt that followed a dramatic shootout in the airport car park of the central Mexican city of Guadalajara in which a cardinal was killed in his car.

The Guardian

And it's to be classified as a scrounger – for the cardinal sin of not being as well as other people.

The Guardian - Opinion

It undermines the cardinal principle of the post-1945 worderorder, namely that the powerful cannot simply take what they want by force.

The Guardian - Opinion

The rise of Jorge Mario Bergoglio from railway worker's son to archbishop, then cardinal, and now to leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics has been a remarkable and historical one: first Latin American pope; first Jesuit pope; first Pope Francis.

The Guardian

Unlike her and her heroes, we have committed the cardinal sin of becoming open-minded about nuclear power.

The Guardian

It makes a kind of grim sense that his horrific career, and the failure of the church to take any real steps to stop him, has re-emerged to haunt another cardinal.

The Guardian

Not only did he abjure the cardinal's residence in the Argentinian capital for a small apartment and reject a chauffeur-driven car to travel by bus, he also told hundreds of Argentinians not to waste their money on plane tickets to Rome to see him created a cardinal by John Paul II in 2001, urging them to give it instead to the poor.

The Guardian

They in turn assured the cardinal that the UDA had no intention of sliding back to conflict even in the face of the resurgent republican dissident threat.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cardinal" to describe a rule or principle, ensure it's genuinely fundamental to avoid overstating its importance.

Common error

Avoid using "cardinal" to describe rules or principles that are not genuinely fundamental or critical. Overusing it can diminish its impact.

Linguistic Context

The word "cardinal" primarily functions as an adjective to describe something of fundamental importance or as a noun referring to a high-ranking official in the Catholic Church. Ludwig AI confirms its versatile usage across diverse contexts, as seen in the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

95%

Formal & Business

3%

Science

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "cardinal" is a versatile term with multiple meanings, most commonly used to denote fundamental importance, to refer to a high-ranking Catholic official, or to describe a specific shade of red. Ludwig AI analysis confirms that "cardinal" is grammatically correct and frequently used, particularly in News & Media contexts. When using "cardinal", ensure its strong emphasis aligns with the actual significance of the subject to avoid diminishing its impact. Consider alternatives like "fundamental" or "crucial" to precisely convey the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fundamental

Focuses on the foundational aspect, similar to "cardinal" when describing principles.

primary

Highlights the main or chief characteristic, analogous to the crucial sense of "cardinal".

crucial

Emphasizes the critical importance, aligning with "cardinal" in essential matters.

essential

Signifies necessity, akin to "cardinal" in indispensable contexts.

chief

Indicates the highest rank or importance, resembling "cardinal" in hierarchical structures.

main

Highlights the principal element, comparable to "cardinal" in directional contexts.

principal

Emphasizes the leading or foremost aspect, mirroring "cardinal" in terms of significance.

basic

Highlights the foundational or elementary aspect, akin to "cardinal" in number or principle.

scarlet

Relates to the specific bright red color, reflecting "cardinal" in color descriptions.

deep red

Describes the shade of red color, similar to "cardinal" in color descriptions.

FAQs

How can I use "cardinal" in a sentence?

You can use "cardinal" to describe something of primary importance, as in "A "cardinal rule" of investing is to diversify your portfolio", or to refer to a high-ranking official in the Catholic Church.

What is the meaning of "cardinal"?

The word "cardinal" has multiple meanings. It can refer to a number indicating quantity, a high-ranking Catholic official, a type of bird, or something of fundamental importance.

What can I say instead of "cardinal"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "fundamental", "essential", or "crucial" when referring to importance. When referring to the color, consider using "scarlet" or "deep red".

Is "cardinal" the same as "ordinal"?

No, "cardinal" and "ordinal" are not the same. "Cardinal" numbers indicate quantity (e.g., one, two, three), while "ordinal" numbers indicate position in a sequence (e.g., first, second, third).