Definition of northern cardinal
: cardinal sense 5a(1) … studies have shown that certain Indiana species, including the northern cardinal, have been inching farther north for more than 100 years.— Robert Annis, Indianapolis Star, 16 Feb. 2009 This seems to be the year of the northern cardinal as they are plentiful everywhere.— Phyllis Yochem, Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller-Times, 12 Feb. 2005
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
- What is an earlier meaning of nice?

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Spell words. Make bears.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share northern cardinal
Time Traveler for northern cardinal
The first known use of northern cardinal was in 1925
See more words from the same year