Where does “Cardinal” come from?
Cardinal (Canadian French) comes from French cardinal, from Latin cardinālis, from Latin cardō, from Latin carduus, from Proto-Indo-European ḱers- — to run.
Ancestry of “Cardinal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | cardinal | Important; paramount; cardinal; Cardinal number |
| 2 | Latin | cardinālis | of or pertaining to a door hinge |
| 3 | Latin | cardō | hinge (of a door or gate), usually a pivot and socket in Roman times |
| 4 | Latin | carduus | a wild thistle; the artichoke |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱers- | to run |