Ordinal Meaning
/ˈɔː.dɪ.nəl/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjIndicating position in a sequence.
adjPertaining to a taxon at the rank of order.
Sentence Examples
Some countries use ordinal numbers to count millennia, whereas others count them using cardinal numbers.
Eight hundredth, nine hundredth and one thousandth are ordinal numbers.
CEFR Practice Quiz
In the sequence, the ____ numbers indicate position like first, second, and third.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In English, ____ numbers such as first, second, and third indicate position in a sequence.
Word Origin & History
Borrowed from Latin ōrdinālis, adjective formed from noun ōrdō (“order”), + adjective suffix -ālis.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The most common numerals in Latin, as in English, are the "cardinals"[…]and the "ordinals"[…]"
— 2005, F. M. Wheelock, Wheelock’s Latin, 6th revised edition, page 97:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
In the sequence, the ____ numbers indicate position like first, second, and third.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In English, ____ numbers such as first, second, and third indicate position in a sequence.