Cardinal - Definition

adj 1: serving as an essential component; "a cardinal rule";
"the central cause of the problem"; "an example that was
fundamental to the argument"; "computers are fundamental
to modern industrial structure" [syn: cardinal,
central, fundamental, key, primal]
2: being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order;
"cardinal numbers" [ant: ordinal]
n 1: (Roman Catholic Church) one of a group of more than 100
prominent bishops in the Sacred College who advise the Pope
and elect new Popes
2: the number of elements in a mathematical set; denotes a
quantity but not the order [syn: cardinal number,
cardinal]
3: a variable color averaging a vivid red [syn: cardinal,
carmine]
4: crested thick-billed North American finch having bright red
plumage in the male [syn: cardinal, cardinal grosbeak,
Richmondena Cardinalis, Cardinalis cardinalis, redbird]