Daniel Defoe
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The Latin root cord- (or cor) is at the heart of the connection between cordial, concord (meaning “harmony”), and discord (meaning “conflict”). Cord- means “heart,” and each of these cord- descendants has something to do with the heart, at least figuratively. Concord, which comes from com- (meaning “together” or “with”) plus -cord, suggests that one heart is with another. Discord combines the prefix dis- (meaning “apart”) with -cord to imply that hearts are apart. Hundreds of years ago, cordial could mean simply “of or relating to the (literal) heart” (the -ial is simply an adjective suffix) but today anything described as cordial—be it a friendly welcome, a compliment, or an agreement—comes from the heart in a figurative sense. Cordial is also used as a noun to refer to a usually sweet liqueur, the name being inspired by the idea that a cordial invigorates the heart.
Synonyms
Examples of cordial in a Sentence
Calvin Trillin, New Yorker, 17 Dec. 2001
Though its chairman, Charles Obi, was cordial to him, the others made it clear that they didn't want him.
—Ishmael Reed, Japanese by Spring, 1993
My reception was cordial enough …
—Robert Frost 7 Jan. 1913,
in Selected Letters of Robert Frost, edited by Lawrance Thompson, 1964
Mr. Price now received his daughter; and having given her a cordial hug, and observed that she was grown into a woman …
—Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814
We received a cordial greeting from our hostess at the party.
The two nations have maintained cordial relations.
Noun
It was fortunate that the boys never tested Alyce's magic, for the bottle she shook so fiercely at them was naught but blackberry cordial she was to deliver to Old Anna …
—Karen Cushman, The Midwife's Apprentice, 1995
A boy is said to become a man when he can sip the 140-proof anise-seed cordial without wincing.
—Paul L. Montgomery, New York Times, 6 Sept. 1965
"In this bottle," he said, "there is a cordial made of the juice of one of the fire-flowers that grow in the mountains of the sun. If you or any of your friends are hurt, a few drops of this will restore you."
—C. S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, 1950
Grace Miserocchi, Chicago Tribune, 5 Oct. 2024
My uncle was supportive to me then, and my boyfriend was cordial to him as a kindness to me.
—Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
Elycia Rubin, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2024
That included using demerara sugar to make syrups out of rinds, macerating leftover bits for cordials, and clarifying juices to extend shelf lives.
—Jordyn Noennig, Journal Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Cordial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cordial. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cordial
2 of 2 adjectiveAdjective
Middle English cordial "of the heart, vital," from Latin cordialis (same meaning), from cor "heart" — related to courage
Medical Definition
cordial
noun
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