Meanings
plural cardinal virtues
- in pluraloftenChristianityOne of the four foundational virtues identified by Greek and Christian philosophers, on which other virtues depend: justice, temperance, prudence, or fortitude.
Even the cardinal virtues cannot atone for half-cold entrées, as Lord Henry remarked once, in a discussion on the subject, and there is possibly a good deal to be said for his view.
1891, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, London; New York, N.Y.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC
Origin
- Latincardinālis“pertaining to a hinge (hence applied to that on which something turns or depends), important, principal, chief”
- Englishcardinal virtue
From Latin cardinālis (“pertaining to a hinge (hence applied to that on which something turns or depends), important, principal, chief”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic اَلْفَضَائِل اَلرَّئِيسِيَّة
- اَلْفَضَائِل اَلرَّئِيسِيَّة (al-faḍāʔil ar-raʔīsiyya)one of the four foundational virtues
Finnish kardinaalihyve
- kardinaalihyveone of the four foundational virtues
French vertu cardinale
- vertu cardinaleone of the four foundational virtues
German Kardinaltugend
- Kardinaltugendone of the four foundational virtues
Irish suáilcí cairdinéalta, suáilcí bhunúsacha
- suáilcí cairdinéaltaone of the four foundational virtues
- suáilcí bhunúsachaone of the four foundational virtues
Italian virtù cardinale
- virtù cardinaleone of the four foundational virtues
Polish cnota kardynalna
- cnota kardynalnaone of the four foundational virtues
Cite this entry
cardinal virtue. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cardinal%20virtue
“cardinal virtue.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cardinal%20virtue. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cardinal virtue,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cardinal%20virtue.
Source: cardinal virtue on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.