Cordial

//ˈkɔɹ.di.əl// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A concentrated non-carbonated soft drink which is diluted with water before drinking. Australia, New-Zealand, UK

    "Both supplement and taste-matched placebo were consumed in 70 ml of fruit cordial and 150 ml of water, which were drunk within a 5-min period."

  2. 2
    strong highly flavored sweet liquor usually drunk after a meal wordnet
  3. 3
    An individual serving of such a diluted drink. Australia, New-Zealand, UK
  4. 4
    A pleasant-tasting medicine.
  5. 5
    A liqueur prepared using the infusion process.

    "1728, John Gay, The Beggar's Opera, Act III, Scene 1, in 1828, British Theatre, Comprising Tragedies, Comedies, Operas, and Farces, 827, Lucy. But, miss Polly—in the way of friendship, will you give me leave to propose a glass of cordial to you ? Polly. Strong waters are apt to give me the headache.—I hope, madam, you will excuse me?"

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    A candy (or bonbon) usually made of milk chocolate, filled with small fruits (often maraschino cherries) and syrup or fondant.
  2. 7
    Anything that revives or comforts, a stimulant.

    "Never had Fanny more wanted a cordial. Never had she felt such a one as this letter contained."

Adjective
  1. 1
    Hearty; sincere; warm; affectionate.

    "I have a cordial dislike for arachnids."

  2. 2
    Radiating warmth and friendliness; genial.

    "The sight of London warmed my heart with various emotions, such as a cordial man must draw from the heart of all humanity."

  3. 3
    Tending to revive, cheer, or invigorate; giving strength or spirits. rare

    "I vvas baptized in thy Cordiall vvater, againſt Original ſinne, and I haue drunke of thy Cordiall Blood, for my recouerie, from actuall, and habituall ſinne, in the other Sacrament."

  4. 4
    Proceeding from the heart. obsolete

    "Who stooping op'n'd my left side, and took / From thence a Rib with cordial spirits warm, / And Life-blood streaming fresh;"

Adjective
  1. 1
    diffusing warmth and friendliness wordnet
  2. 2
    sincerely or intensely felt wordnet
  3. 3
    politely warm and friendly wordnet

Example

More examples

"I express my cordial thanks for what you have done for this city."

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English cordial, from Old French cordial, from Medieval Latin cordiālis (“of the heart”), from cor (“heart”).

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.