noun / adjective
cardinal
A number expressing how many rather than position in a sequence.
Three is a cardinal number.
Etymology
Latin cardo means hinge, behind cardinal’s sense of principal or fundamental. Cardinal numbers are the basic counting numbers, specifying quantity rather than the order occupied by an item.
More examples
- The lesson contrasts cardinal numbers with ordinals.
- Use a cardinal to say how many objects there are.
- Five is cardinal, while fifth indicates position.
Forms
cardinal · cardinals
Similar words
- ordinal
- The contrasting number type that indicates position, such as third.