1. (

• cardinal

) (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. (

• cardinal_number ,
• cardinal

) the number of elements in a mathematical set; denotes a quantity but not the order ;

3. (

• cardinal ,
• carmine

) a variable color averaging a vivid red ;

4. (

• cardinal ,
• cardinal_grosbeak ,
• Richmondena_Cardinalis ,
• Cardinalis_cardinalis ,
• redbird ,

) crested thick-billed North American finch having bright red plumage in the male ;

1. (

• cardinal ,
• central ,
• fundamental ,
• key ,
• primal

) 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" ;

2. (

• cardinal

) being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order; "cardinal numbers" ;