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

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

Ancestry of “cardinal”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Middle French	cardinal	cardinal
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

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱers- →Every word from Latin carduus →Every word from Latin cardō →