n. 红衣主教;枢机主教;鲜红色;【鸟类】(北美)主红雀
adj. 主要的,基本的;深红色的
cardinal 基准的
来自拉丁词cardo, 铰链,枢纽,来自PIE *sker, 转,旋,词源同ring,curve. 常与其另一个记义心脏相混淆。
Of þe uour uirtues cardinales spekeþ moche þe yealde philosofes. ["Ayenbite of Inwyt," c. 1340]By analogy of this, and cardinal points, cardinal winds, cardinal signs (four zodiacal signs marking the equinoxes and the solstices), the adjective in Middle English acquired an association with the number four.