Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cardinal” come from?

Cardinal comes from Middle French cardinal, from Latin cardinalis, an adjective formed with the suffix -alis from Latin carduus meaning thistle, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kars-.

cardinal (English): Of fundamental importance; crucial, pivotal; Of...

Definitions

  1. Of fundamental importance; crucial, pivotal; Of...

Ancestry of “cardinal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchcardinalcardinal
2Latincardinālis—
3Latincardō—
4Latincarduusa wild thistle; the artichoke
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱers-to run

Words derived from “cardinal”

  • card
  • cardboard
  • discard
  • postcard
  • scorecard
  • cardinality
  • wildcard
  • cardholder
  • flashcard
  • carder
  • keycard
  • microcard
  • cardroom
  • notecard
  • cardplaying
  • bankcard
  • cardinally
  • undercard
  • Kardex
  • cardcase
  • cardsharp
  • MetroCard
  • upcard
  • timecard
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱers- →