cardinal
[adjective]
Synonyms: principal, capital, central, chief, essential, first, fundamental, key, leading, main, paramount, primary

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. ˌcardinal ˈnumber (also cardinal) noun [countable]
a number such as 1, 2, or 3, that shows how many of something there are, but not what order they are in
⇒ ordinal number

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. car‧di‧nal¹ /ˈkɑːdənəl $ ˈkɑːr-/ noun [countable]
[Date: 1100-1200; Language: Medieval Latin; Origin: cardinalis, from Late Latin ( ⇒ cardinal²); ]
[Sense 2: Origin: from the color of a cardinal's clothing]

1. a priest of high rank in the Roman Catholic Church

2. a North American bird. The male is a bright red colour.

3. a cardinal number

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. cardinal² adjective [only before noun]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: Late Latin cardinalis, from Latin cardo 'hinge' (= part that fastens something so that it can still move)]
very important or basic Synonym : fundamental:
Having clean hands is one of the cardinal rules when preparing food.
an issue of cardinal importance

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲