cordial

English

WOTD – 22 August 2008

English Wikipedia has an article on:

cordial

Wikipedia

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (British) IPA^(key): /ˈkɔː.di.əl/, /ˈkɔː.dʒəl/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkɔɹ.di.əl/, /ˈkɔɹ.d͡ʒəl/, /ˈkɔɹ.djəl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: cor‧dial

Adjective

cordial (comparative more cordial, superlative most cordial)

1. Hearty; sincere; warm; affectionate.

   I have a cordial dislike for arachnids.

   • 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     He, on his side / Leaning half raised, with looks of cordial love / Hung over her enamoured.

   • 1885, George Washington Schuyler, Colonial New York: Philip Schuyler and His Family, C. Scribner's Sons:

     The relations between the Earl of Bellomont and Colonel Schuyler were formal, but not cordial from the first.

   • 2023 November 15, Kal Sajad, “Anthony Joshua: Briton bites at Otto Wallin, Jarrell Miller and critics at star-studded news conference”, in BBC‎:

     Joshua maintained his serious demeanour when Wilder took the microphone - his gaze not leaving the Alabama fighter who was cordial and respectful in return.

2. Radiating warmth and friendliness; genial.
   • 1869, R[ichard] D[oddridge] Blackmore, “CHAPTER 66”, in Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Sampson Low, Son, & Marston, […], →OCLC:

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

   • 2024 April 22, Russell Fuller, “What lies in store for tennis' revamped future?”, in BBC‎:

     Since then, though, discussions have become more collaborative and cordial.

3. (rare) Tending to revive, cheer, or invigorate; giving strength or spirits.
   • 1624, John Donne, “11. Prayer.”, in Deuotions upon Emergent Occasions, and Seuerall Steps in My Sicknes: […], London: […] A[ugustine] M[atthews] for Thomas Iones, →OCLC, pages 280–281:

     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.

   • 1634 October 9 (first performance), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC:

     And first behold this cordial julep here / That flames and dances in his crystal bounds, / With spirits of balm, and fragrant syrups mix'd.

4. (obsolete) Proceeding from the heart.
   • 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

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

Synonyms

• (hearty, warm): heartfelt
• (radiating warmth and friendliness): affable, amiable
• (tending to revive): refreshing, invigorating, renewing

Derived terms

• cordialise
• cordiality
• cordialize
• cordially
• cordialness
• noncordial
• supercordial
• ultracordial
• uncordial

Related terms

English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱerd- (0 c, 39 e)

Translations

hearty

Belarusian: душэ́ўны (be) (dušéŭny), сардэ́чны (be) (sardéčny) Breton: please add this translation if you can Bulgarian: сърдечен (bg) (sǎrdečen), приветлив (bg) (privetliv) Catalan: cordial (ca) Czech: srdečný (cs) Estonian: südamlik (et) Finnish: sydämellinen (fi) Galician: cordial (gl) German: herzlich (de) Greek: εγκάρδιος (el) m (egkárdios) Hungarian: szívélyes (hu) Icelandic: hjartanlegur (is), alúðlegur (is) Ido: kordiala (io) Italian: cordiale (it) Norwegian: Bokmål: hjertelig (no) Occitan: coral (oc) Polish: serdeczny (pl) Portuguese: cordial (pt) Romanian: cordial (ro) Russian: душе́вный (ru) (dušévnyj), серде́чный (ru) (serdéčnyj) Scots: guidwilly Sorbian: Lower Sorbian: wutšobny Upper Sorbian: wutrobny Spanish: cordial (es) Swedish: hjärtlig (sv) Turkish: samimi (tr), içten (tr) Ukrainian: душе́вний (dušévnyj), серде́чний (serdéčnyj)

radiating warmth and friendliness

Bulgarian: топъл (bg) (topǎl), задушевен (bg) (zaduševen) Catalan: cordial (ca) Czech: srdečný (cs), přátelský (cs), přívětivý (cs) Estonian: südamlik (et) Finnish: sydämellinen (fi) Galician: cordial (gl) Greek: εγκάρδιος (el) (egkárdios), θερμός (el) (thermós) Ido: kordiala (io) Italian: cordiale (it) Maori: aumārire Norwegian: Bokmål: hjertelig (no) Portuguese: cordial (pt) Russian: раду́шный (ru) (radúšnyj), тёплый (ru) (tjóplyj), серде́чный (ru) (serdéčnyj), душе́вный (ru) (dušévnyj) Scots: guidwilly Spanish: cordial (es) Turkish: samimi (tr)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Noun

cordial (plural cordials)

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

   Synonyms: squash, (uncommon) high juice

   • 2024 May 31, Andrew John Chappell, Adrien Parry, Trevor Simper, “The Acute Effect of Citrulline Malate Loading in Resistance Trained Males on: Anaerobic Muscular Endurance, Force Recovery and Muscle Soreness”, in Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise, →DOI:

     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. (UK, Australia, New Zealand) An individual serving of such a diluted drink.
3. A pleasant-tasting medicine.
4. 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?

   • 1908, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables, L. C. Page & Co.:

     [Marilla] had put the bottle of raspberry cordial down in the cellar instead of in the closet [...].

5. A candy (or bonbon) usually made of milk chocolate, filled with small fruits (often maraschino cherries) and syrup or fondant.
6. Anything that revives or comforts, a stimulant.
   • 1814 May 9, [Jane Austen], chapter XV, in Mansfield Park: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 288:

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

Hypernyms

• liqueur

Derived terms

• ginger cordial

Translations

concentrated drink

Belarusian: сіро́п m (siróp) Bulgarian: сиро́п m (siróp) Chinese: Mandarin: 糖漿 / 糖浆 (zh) (tángjiāng) Czech: sirup (cs) m, ovocná šťáva Dutch: limonade (nl) f (Netherlands), limo (nl) f (Netherlands), ranja (nl) f (Netherlands) Estonian: siirup Finnish: mehutiiviste (fi), mehu (fi) French: sirop (fr) m German: Sirup (de) m Greek: σιρόπι (el) n (sirópi) Hungarian: szörp (hu) Indonesian: sirup (id) Japanese: シロップ (ja) (shiroppu) Polish: syrop (pl) m Portuguese: concentrado (pt) m Romanian: sirop (ro) n Russian: сиро́п (ru) m (siróp), ко́рдиал m (kórdial) Spanish: cordial (es) Swedish: saft (sv), blandsaft (sv) c (the undiluted liquid) Turkish: konsantre içecek Ukrainian: сиро́п m (syróp)

serving

Finnish: mehu (fi)

pleasant-tasting medicine

liqueur

Bulgarian: ликьор m (likjor) Czech: likér (cs) m Estonian: puuviljaliköör Finnish: likööri (fi) German: Likör (de) m Italian: cordiale (it) m Polish: nalewka (pl) f, kordiał (pl) m Portuguese: licor (pt) m Russian: нали́вка (ru) f (nalívka), ликёр (ru) m (likjór) Turkish: likör (tr) Yiddish: פֿרוכטליקער (frukhtliker), נאַליווקע (nalivke)

candy

Bulgarian: пияна вишна f (pijana višna) Finnish: konvehti (fi) Russian: конфе́та (ru) f (konféta)

Anagrams

• Di Carlo, DiCarlo, Dicarlo

Catalan

Etymology

From Medieval Latin cordiālis (“of the heart”), from cor (“heart”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central) [kur.diˈal]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [kor.diˈal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [koɾ.ðiˈal]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -al
• Hyphenation: cor‧di‧al

Adjective

cordial m or f (masculine and feminine plural cordials)

1. cordial

   Synonyms: sincer, afectuós

2. invigorating

Related terms

• cordialitat

Noun

cordial m (plural cordials)

1. tonic

Further reading

• “cordial”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007
• “cordial”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin cordiālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔʁ.djal/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: cor‧dial

Adjective

cordial (feminine cordiale, masculine plural cordiaux, feminine plural cordiales)

1. (archaic) stimulating the heart; tonic
2. coming from the heart; sincere
3. amiable

   Synonyms: chaleureux, aimable, sympathique

Derived terms

• cordialement
• cordialiser
• cordialité

Noun

cordial m (plural cordiaux)

1. cordial
2. (medicine, obsolete) stimulant

   Synonyms: stimulant, excitant

Further reading

• “cordial”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Galician

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɔɾˈdjal/ [kɔɾˈð̞jɑɫ]
• Rhymes: -al
• Hyphenation: cor‧dial

Adjective

cordial m or f (plural cordiais)

1. cordial

Derived terms

• cordialmente

Related terms

• cordialidade

Further reading

• “cordial”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025

Portuguese

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin cordiālis.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /koʁ.d͡ʒiˈaw/ [koɦ.d͡ʒɪˈaʊ̯], (faster pronunciation) /koʁˈd͡ʒjaw/ [koɦˈd͡ʒjaʊ̯]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /koʁ.d͡ʒiˈaw/ [koɦ.d͡ʒɪˈaʊ̯], (faster pronunciation) /koʁˈd͡ʒjaw/ [koɦˈd͡ʒjaʊ̯]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /koɾ.d͡ʒiˈaw/ [koɾ.d͡ʒɪˈaʊ̯], (faster pronunciation) /koɾˈd͡ʒjaw/ [koɾˈd͡ʒjaʊ̯]
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /koʁ.d͡ʒiˈaw/ [koʁ.d͡ʒɪˈaʊ̯], (faster pronunciation) /koʁˈd͡ʒjaw/ [koʁˈd͡ʒjaʊ̯]
  • (Porto Alegre) IPA^(key): /koɻ.d͡ʒiˈaw/ [koɻ.d͡ʒɪˈaʊ̯], (faster pronunciation) /koɻˈd͡ʒjaw/ [koɻˈd͡ʒjaʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kuɾˈdjal/ [kuɾˈðjaɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /kuɾˈdjal/ [kuɾˈðjaɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /kuɾˈdja.li/ [kuɾˈðja.li]

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
• Hyphenation: cor‧di‧al

Adjective

cordial m or f (plural cordiais)

1. cordial (sincere; affectionate)

Derived terms

• cordialmente

Further reading

• “cordial” in Dicionário Aberto based on Novo Diccionário da Língua Portuguesa de Cândido de Figueiredo, 1913
• “cordial”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French cordial. By surface analysis, cord +‎ -ial.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kor.diˈal/

Adjective

cordial m or n (feminine singular cordială, masculine plural cordiali, feminine and neuter plural cordiale)

1. cordial

Declension

Declension of cordial

		singular				plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine		masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	cordial		cordială		cordiali	cordiale
	definite	cordialul		cordiala		cordialii	cordialele
genitive- dative	indefinite	cordial		cordiale		cordiali	cordiale
	definite	cordialului		cordialei		cordialilor	cordialelor

Related terms

• cordialitate

Further reading

• “cordial”, in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language) (in Romanian), 2004–2025

Romansch

Adjective

cordial

1. sincere
2. cordial

Derived terms

• cordialmain

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin cordiālis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /koɾˈdjal/ [koɾˈð̞jal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: cor‧dial

Adjective

cordial m or f (masculine and feminine plural cordiales)

1. cordial

Derived terms

• cordialidad
• cordialmente

Further reading

• “cordial”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 10 December 2024