What does "cardinalate" mean?
The dignity and ecclesiastic office of Roman Catholic cardinal.
Cardinalate
/ˈkɑː(ɹ)dɪnələt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The dignity and ecclesiastic office of Roman Catholic cardinal.
- Grammar: cardinalate is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: cardinalship, college of cardinals, sacred college, sacred college of cardinals.
- Usage evidence: The cardinalate ranks equal to a secular prince of the blood.
How to use "cardinalate"
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- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
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- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cardinalate" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cardinalate" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 The dignity and ecclesiastic office of Roman Catholic cardinal.
"The cardinalate ranks equal to a secular prince of the blood."
- 2 the office of cardinal wordnet
- 3 The Roman Catholic cardinals, taken collectively.
"The cardinalate under a maximum age composes the conclave which elects the pope."
- 4 (Roman Catholic Church) the body of all cardinals of the church; elects and advises the pope wordnet
Verb
- 1 To raise to the rank of cardinal. obsolete
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The cardinalate ranks equal to a secular prince of the blood."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cardinalate"?
Common synonyms include: cardinalship, college of cardinals, sacred college, sacred college of cardinals.
How do you use "cardinalate" in a sentence?
The cardinalate ranks equal to a secular prince of the blood.
How do you pronounce "cardinalate"?
Pronounced /ˈkɑː(ɹ)dɪnələt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Ecclesiastical Latin cardinālātus, from cardinālis (“cardinal”) + -ātus, itself the noun use of an adjective derived from cardō (“hinge, main point”) + -ālis (“-al”). By surface analysis, cardinal + -ate (forms nouns denoting rank or office).
Etymology 2
First attested in 1587; from cardinal + -ate (verb-forming suffix).