Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: bagster

Why do we call them the cardinal directions, anyway?
“Cardinal” comes from the early 14th century and was derived from the Latin cardinalis (”principal, chief, essential”).


1,504 posted on 05/25/2019 2:46:55 PM PDT by conservativesister
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1501 | View Replies ]


To: conservativesister; Publius
Thanks to both of you for the etymology lesson.

I knew the word came from latin but not the original latin word; and I had no idea of the astronomical sourcing.

1,620 posted on 05/25/2019 6:51:01 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change with out notice.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1504 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson