Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Cardinal” come from?

Cardinal (English) comes from Canadian French Cardinal, from French cardinal, from Latin cardinālis, from Latin cardō, from Latin carduus, from Proto-Indo-European ḱers- — to run.

Cardinal (English): A player on the St. Louis Cardinals team; A...

Definitions

  1. A player on the St. Louis Cardinals team; A...

Ancestry of “Cardinal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Canadian FrenchCardinal—
2FrenchcardinalImportant; paramount; cardinal; Cardinal number
3Latincardinālis—
4Latincardō—
5Latincarduusa wild thistle; the artichoke
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱers-to run
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱers- →