Kevin
December 6, 2023
Common Questions

If you’re not particularly fond of the bitter taste of beer or the acidity in wine, you may want to consider a cordial. What exactly is a cordial, you ask? Don’t worry — we’ll tell you!

In this article, we’re exploring the word cordial to discover its definition, origin, synonyms, antonyms, and usage. We’ll also uncover these homonyms’ additional meanings to teach you all there is to know about our word of the day, cordial (/ˈkɔːr.dʒəl/ /ˈkɔː.di.əl/ ).

What Is the Definition of Cordial?

According to the Britannica Dictionary, the noun cordial can be defined as liqueur, which is a strong, sweetened, aromatic drink made from fruit.

Though the term was formerly used for only liquors that were believed to have a tonic or stimulating quality due to the medicinal elements of their flavorings, the terms cordial and liqueur are now used interchangeably.

That said, our word of the day can also be used as an adjective that means friendly, but formal and polite. For example, think of things like a cordial relationship, a cordial welcome or cordial greeting, or even cordial relations.

Additionally, as an adjective, cordial can be defined as fervent or strong — for example, a cordial abhorrence of waste.

Though archaic at this point, when used as an adjective, cordial can also refer to something pertaining to the heart or stimulating to the heart. In this context, cordial is synonymous with words like reviving and invigorating.

Fun Fact: There is also a pop-rock duo based out of Sydney, Australia, named the Lime Cordiale.

Which Words Were Formed From Cordial?

While on your journey to better understand the meaning behind our word of the day, you’re sure to run into a few related forms of cordial — and even a few words that were formed from cordial.

These words are as follows:

Noun — su·per·cor·dial·ness
Adjective — qua·si-cor·dial
Noun — cor·dial·ness
Adjective — su·per·cor·dial
Adjective — pre·cor·dial
Adverb — cor·dial·ly
Noun — un·cor·dial·ness
Adjective — un·cor·dial

What Are the Synonyms and Antonyms of Cordial?

Whether you’re looking to better understand a new word or simply express yourself more clearly, knowing synonyms and antonyms can help.

What Are Synonyms of Cordial?

In short, a synonym is a word or expression that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word or expression. With this in mind, synonyms of cordial include:

Warm
Friendly
Genial
Affable
Hearty
Welcoming
Affectionate
Amiable
Earnest
Palsy walsy
Buddy buddy
Red carpet
Hail fellow
Wordly wise
Well mannered
Smooth tongued
Fierce
Acute
Intense
Keen
Strong
Smooth-talking
Fervent
Silver-tongued
Soft-spoken
Bona fide
Full hearted
Upfront
Fair dinkum
Fine and dandy
Strife free
Non-violent
Conflict free
Fervid
Passionate
Perfervid
Well behaved
Well mannered
In the know
Alcoholic drink
Alcoholic beverage
Flavored drink
Hard drink
Wholehearted
Profound
Hard liquor
Mixed drink
Flavored drink
Fruit juice
Fruit nectar
Liqueur
Juice drink
Vegetable juice
Restorative drink
Shot in the arm
Pep pill
Hair of the dog
Stimulating substance
Invigorating
Suave
Urbane
Sophisticated
Courtly
Affable
Cool
Mannerly
Worldly
Tactful
Fulsom
Slick
Pleasing
Restorative drink
Shot in the arm
Pick me up
Pep pill

What Are Antonyms of Cordial?

In contrast to synonyms, an antonym is a word or expression with a meaning that is opposite of another word or expression. Antonyms of cordial include:

Unfriendly
Uncordial
Malicious
Adversary
Surly
Antipathetic
Unamicable
Warlike
Unaffable
Unneighborly
Indifferent
Stand-offish
Ill natured
Cold eyed
Vengeful
Distant
Ill disposed
Cold-blooded
Icy
Hateful
Stern
Quarrelsome
Mild
Slight
Light
Minor
Faint
Superficial
Vague
Feeble
Detrimental
Harmful
Boring
Discouraging
Boring
Depressing
Dull
Enervating
Tiring
Unstimulating
Hostile
Antagonistic
Bitter
Contentious
Spiteful
Severe

What Is the Etymology of Cordial?

First coined in c. 1400, the Middle English cordial is a derivative of both the Medieval Latin cordiālis and the Latin cor, meaning heart.

How Can You Use Cordial in a Sentence?

Now that you understand what cordial means, it’s time to put your newfound knowledge to the test. Take the next few minutes quizzing yourself to see how many sentences you can conjure up using our word of the day.

To get you going, check out these sentence examples listed for you below:

“I’ve been afraid to tell my husband as it’s one of his favorite herbs to use, but I honestly have a cordial dislike for cilantro — it tastes just like soap to me!”

“You have been nothing but gracious hosts, with such a cordial regard for our well-being. We simply can’t thank you enough as staying with your family has been the highlight of our holiday!”

“After receiving such a cordial handshake, I knew we had picked the right lady for the job!”

What Are Translations of Cordial?

Although cordial is an English word, the act of being warm and friendly (or cordial) is demonstrated all over the globe.

With this in mind, here are some common translations of cordial:

Afrikaans — hartlik
Arabic — ودية
Bulgarian — Сърдечно
Chinese (simplified) — 亲切
Croatian — srdačan
Czech — srdečný
Danish — Hjertelig
American English — cordial
Dutch — hartelijk
Finnish — sydämellinen
French — cordial
German — herzlich
Greek — εγκάρδιος
Italian — cordiale
Japanese — 篤い
Korean — 따뜻한
Norwegian — hjertelig
Polish — serdeczny
British English — cordial
Portuguese — cordial
Russian — сердечный
Spanish — cordial
Swedish — hjärtlig
Thai — จริงใจ
Turkish — samimi
Ukrainian — сердечний

Conclusion

Essentially, our word of the day can be defined as showing warm and often hearty friendliness, favor, or approval. In other words, it means polite.

In addition, the word cordial can also refer to a sweetened distilled spirit, which is usually flavored with a variety of fresh fruits, herbs, spices, and sometimes even nuts, coffee, and chocolate.

Sources:

cordial | liqueur | Britannica

CORDIAL | definition | Cambridge English Dictionary

Cordial definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.