The noun cardinal has 4 senses (first 1 from tagged texts)
1. (2) cardinal -- ((Roman Catholic Church) one of a group of more than 100 prominent bishops in the Sacred College who advise the Pope and elect new Popes)
2. cardinal number, cardinal -- (the number of elements in a mathematical set; denotes a quantity but not the order)
3. cardinal, carmine -- (a variable color averaging a vivid red)
4. cardinal, cardinal grosbeak, Richmondena Cardinalis, Cardinalis cardinalis, redbird -- (crested thick-billed North American finch having bright red plumage in the male)
Overview of adj cardinal
The adj cardinal has 2 senses (first 1 from tagged texts)
1. (3) cardinal, central, fundamental, key, primal -- (serving as an essential component; "a cardinal rule"; "the central cause of the problem"; "an example that was fundamental to the argument"; "computers are fundamental to modern industrial structure")
2. cardinal -- (being or denoting a numerical quantity but not order; "cardinal numbers")