cardinal

Pronunciation: /ˈkɑːd(ɪ)nəl/

The English word “cardinal” has 10 meanings listed here.

adjective

Of fundamental importance; crucial, pivotal.
Of or relating to the cardinal directions (north, south, east and west).
Describing a “natural” number used to indicate quantity (e.g., zero, one, two, three), as opposed to an ordinal number indicating relative position.
Having a bright red color (from the color of a Catholic cardinal’s cassock).
Being one of the signs Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, associated with initiation, creation, and force.

noun

One of the officials appointed by the pope in the Roman Catholic Church, ranking only below the pope, equal to the patriarchs, constituting the special college which elects the pope.
Any of various species of New-World passerine songbird in the genus Cardinalis, or in the family Cardinalidae more generally, or of similar appearance and once considered to be related to the former; so called because of their red plumage. (See Wikipedia article for taxonomical information.)
A deep red color, somewhat less vivid than scarlet, the traditional colour of a Catholic cardinal's cassock. (same as cardinal red)
A woman's short cloak with a hood, originally made of scarlet cloth.
Mulled red wine.

Etymology

From Middle French cardinal, from Latin cardinālis (“pertaining to a hinge, hence applied to that on which something turns or depends, important, principal, chief”), from cardin-, cardō (“hinge”) + -ālis, adjectival suffix.

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