cardinal
adjective/ˈkɑːdɪnl/
/ˈkɑːrdɪnl/
[only before noun] (formal)- most important; having other things based on it
- Respect for life is a cardinal principle of English law.
Oxford Collocations DictionaryCardinal is used with these nouns:- archbishop
- direction
- importance
- …
Word OriginOld English, from Latin cardinalis, from cardo, cardin- ‘hinge’. Sense (1) has arisen through the notion of the important function of such priests as “pivots” of church life.Definitions on the go
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cardinal