English Reference

Word

cardinals

Phoneticscar·di·nals

US/ˈkɑɹdənəɫz/

UK/kˈɑːdɪnəlz/

Definitions

01church officials

B2 · Religion

n. the most important priests in the Catholic Church who advise the Pope.

n. high-ranking officials of the Catholic Church, ranking just below the Pope and forming the Sacred College.

“The cardinals gathered in Rome to elect a new Pope after the previous one retired.”

“The college of cardinals convened in a secret conclave to deliberate on the future direction of the church's social policies.”

Synonyms

prelates

02birds

B2

n. bright red North American birds with a pointed crest on their heads.

n. North American passerine birds of the genus Cardinalis, noted for the vibrant red plumage and crest of the male.

“We saw several bright red cardinals sitting in the snowy branches of the tree.”

“The male cardinals are easily distinguished from the females by their striking crimson feathers and black face masks.”

Synonyms

redbirds

03numbers

C1 · Math

n. numbers used for counting, such as one, two, and three.

n. numbers that express quantity rather than order in a series.

“Children learn cardinals like 'five' before they understand ordinals like 'fifth'.”

“The distinction between cardinals and ordinals is fundamental to early mathematical literacy and linguistic development.”

Technical

Usage

In linguistics, these are often called cardinal numerals.

Synonyms

cardinal numbers

Antonyms

ordinals

04sports teams

B1 · Sport

n. famous professional sports teams in the United States, especially in baseball and American football.

n. specifically referring to the St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) or the Arizona Cardinals (NFL).

“The Cardinals won the game last night with a home run in the ninth inning.”

“The Cardinals have a long-standing rivalry with the Cubs that draws massive television audiences every season.”

American English

Real-World Examples

“Cardinals and their staff fled and delayed until August 1316, when, under the protection of the French king’s forces, they nominated Pope John XXII .”
The Conversation · 11 Sept 2026

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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English Reference