• n. 紅衣主教；樞機(jī)主教；鮮紅色；【鳥類】(北美)主紅雀
• adj. 主要的，基本的；深紅色的

來自拉丁詞cardo, 鉸鏈，樞紐，來自PIE *sker, 轉(zhuǎn)，旋，詞源同ring,curve. 常與其另一個(gè)記義心臟相混淆。

cardinal

cardinal: [12] The ultimate source of cardinal is Latin cardō ‘hinge’, and its underlying idea is that something of particular, or ‘cardinal’, importance is like the hinge on which all else depends. English first acquired it as a noun, direct from ecclesiastical Latin cardinālis (originally an adjective derived from cardō), which in the early church denoted simply a clergyman attached to a church, as a door is attached by hinges; it only gradually rose in dignity to refer to princes of the Roman Catholic church. The adjective reached English in the 13th century, via Old French cardinal or Latin cardinālis.

cardinal (n.)

early 12c., "one of the ecclesiastical princes who constitute the sacred college" (short for cardinalis ecclesiae Romanae or episcopus cardinalis), from Latin cardinalis "principal, chief, essential" (see cardinal (adj.)).

Ecclesiastical use began for the presbyters of the chief (cardinal) churches of Rome. The North American songbird (Cardinalis virginianus) is attested from 1670s, so named for its resemblance to the cardinals in their red robes.

cardinal (adj.)

"chief, pivotal," early 14c., from Latin cardinalis "principal, chief, essential," from cardo (genitive cardinis) "that on which something turns or depends; pole of the sky," originally "door hinge," which is of unknown origin. Related: Cardinally.

The cardinal points (1540s) are north, south, east, west. The cardinal sins (c. 1600) are too well known to require rehearsal. The cardinal virtues (c. 1300) were divided into natural (justice prudence, temperance, fortitude) and theological (faith, hope, charity). The natural ones were the original classical ones, which were amended by Christians. But typically in Middle English only the first four were counted as the cardinal virtues:

Of te uour uirtues cardinales speket moche te 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.

1. Bishop Daly said he was devastated by news of the Cardinal's death.

戴利主教說他聽到紅衣主教去世的消息后感到極為震驚和難過。

來自柯林斯例句

2. They were encouraged by a promise from Cardinal Winning.

紅衣主教溫寧的許諾使他們受到鼓舞。

來自柯林斯例句

3. I committed the physician's cardinal sin: I got involved with my patients.

我犯了從醫(yī)的大忌：跟病人有了感情糾葛。

來自柯林斯例句

4. Cardinal Meschia was without doubt a singular character.

紅衣主教梅斯基亞無疑是個(gè)怪人。

來自柯林斯例句

5. His Eminence Cardinal Hume celebrated Mass.

休謨紅衣主教大人主持了彌撒。

來自柯林斯例句