Cardinal



GRE 蓝宝 Barron TOEFL 考研

解释

GRE 红宝书

• adj. 最重要的; 红衣主教
• ［英］ adj. 最重要的 ( most important) ;
• ［类］ 反义词: minor ( 次要的)
• ［记］ card ( 心脏的) +inal -> 心一样的 -> 首要的

Webster Collegiate

I. noun

• Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin cardinalis, from Late Latin cardinalis, adjective
• Date: 12th century
• 1. a high ecclesiastical official of the Roman Catholic Church who ranks next below the pope and is appointed by him to assist him as a member of the college of cardinals
• 2. cardinal number — usually used in plural
• 3. \［from its color, resembling that of the cardinal's robes\］ a crested finch (Cardinalis cardinalis of the family Cardinalidae) of the eastern United States and adjacent Canada, the southwestern U.S., and Mexico to Belize which has a black face and heavy red bill in both sexes and is nearly completely red in the male
• ? cardinalship noun

II. adjective

• Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin cardinalis, from Latin, serving as a hinge, from cardin-, cardo hinge
• Date: 14th century
• 1. of basic importance ; main, chief, primary cardinal principle
• 2. very serious or grave cardinal sin
• Synonyms: see essential
• ? cardinally adverb

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