cardinal compass point
- noun
- /ˈkɑrdɪnəl ˈkʌmpəs pɔɪnt/
:
punto cardinal
- Explorers relied on the cardinal compass points to determine which direction to travel.
Examples
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North is a cardinal compass point.
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South is the cardinal compass point opposite to north.
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Each cardinal compass point is represented by a large letter on the map.
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The ship changed course to head directly toward the cardinal compass point of north.
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Explorers relied on the cardinal compass points to determine which direction to travel.
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Each cardinal compass point is represented by a large letter on the map.
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The ship changed course to head directly toward the cardinal compass point of north.
Synonyms
247
1.0
The direction where the sun sets each evening
235
1.0
The direction toward the bottom of a map
209
1.0
The direction on a compass at the top of most maps
109
1.0
The direction where the sun rises
1
1.0
The direction on a map where the sun sets
1
1.0
The direction toward the south on a compass
The direction the north end of a magnetic needle points toward on Earth
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'one of the four main compass directions' is directly derivable from combining 'cardinal' (main/primary) with 'compass' (device indicating direction) and 'point' (a position). This compositional pattern is straightforward and has clear cross-linguistic equivalents (e.g., Spanish/French 'punto/point cardinal'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will understand it.
Etymology
The phrase cardinal compass point comes from the idea of the four most important directions on a compass. The word cardinal once meant 'main' and a compass point names a direction like 'north', 'east', 'south', or 'west', so the phrase means the main directions we use to find our way.