cardinal (
http://definr.com/cardinal)
adj 1: 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" [syn:
central,
fundamental,
key,
primal]
2: being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order;
"cardinal numbers" [ant:
ordinal]
n 1: (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: the number of elements in a mathematical set; denotes a
quantity but not the order [syn:
cardinal number]
3: a variable color averaging a vivid red [syn:
carmine]
4: crested thick-billed North American finch having bright red
plumage in the male [syn:
cardinal grosbeak, {Richmondena
Cardinalis},
Cardinalis cardinalis,
redbird]