cardinal point

noun

: one of the four principal compass points north, south, east, and west

Examples of cardinal point in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web One example that appears to support that view is some Australian Aborigines’s instinctive knowledge of the cardinal points without need of a compass. — Simeon Tegel, Washington Post, 23 June 2023 Rondon’s logs from that first afternoon show that at one time or another the river’s course flowed in the direction of each of the four cardinal points of the compass. — Larry Rohter, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2023 Photo: Esa Alexander (Reuters) PublishedYesterday Countries in the four cardinal points of Africa witnessed much tumult today (March 20). — Faustine Ngila, Quartz, 20 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cardinal point.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cardinal point was in 1561

Dictionary Entries Near cardinal point

cardinal number

cardinal point

cardinal points of the ecliptic

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Cardinal point.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardinal%20point. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.

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Kids Definition

cardinal point

noun
: one of the four principal points of the compass: north, south, east, west

More from Merriam-Webster on cardinal point

Nglish: Translation of cardinal point for Spanish Speakers

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