cordial

[kawr-juhl, -dee-uhl]

adjective

1. courteous and gracious; friendly; warm.

   a cordial reception.

   Synonyms: genial, affectionate

2. invigorating the heart; stimulating.

3. sincere; heartfelt.

   a cordial dislike.

4. Archaic.,  of or relating to the heart.

noun

1. a strong, sweetened, aromatic alcoholic liquor; liqueur

2. a stimulating medicine.

3. anything that invigorates or exhilarates.

cordial

/ ˈkɔːdɪəl /

adjective

1. warm and friendly

   a cordial greeting

2. giving heart; stimulating

noun

1. a drink with a fruit base, usually sold in concentrated form and diluted with water before being drunk

   lime cordial

2. another word for liqueur

Other Word Forms

• cordialness noun
• cordially adverb
• precordial adjective
• quasi-cordial adjective
• supercordial adjective
• supercordialness noun
• uncordial adjective
• uncordialness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cordial¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin cordiālis, equivalent to Latin cordi- (stem of cor ) “heart” + -ālis adjective suffix; heart ( def. ), -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of cordial¹

C14: from Medieval Latin cordiālis, from Latin cor heart

Example Sentences

The mutual expulsion of top diplomats last year marked an unprecedented low in an otherwise cordial relationship.

From BBC

The atmosphere is cordial, if not exactly warm.

From Los Angeles Times

That the White House released its revised tariff rate just two days before announcing Adams’ nomination – and just over a month after Ibrahim held apparently cordial discussions with U.S.

From Salon

He also pointed to the security implications of maintaining cordial trade relations with the US in the context of the Ukraine war.

From BBC

One suspended rebel said the 20-minute conversation with the chief whip was "frank but cordial".

From BBC

Related Words

• affectionate 
• amicable 
• cheerful 
• congenial 
• cozy 
• earnest 
• gracious 
• heartfelt 
• hearty 
• jovial 
• neighborly 
• polite 
• sincere 
• sympathetic 
• warm 
• warmhearted www.thesaurus.com
• welcoming www.thesaurus.com

When To Use

What does cordial mean?

Cordial means friendly and polite.It used to describe people and their behavior toward others in social situations, especially when they do not know each other well.When you treat people cordially, you treat them with a sincere friendliness and warmth. A cordial greeting is a warm and friendly one, especially one intended to make someone feel welcome.The quality of being cordial is cordiality.Cordial can also be used as a noun meaning a sweetened liquor (more commonly called a liqueur) or a kind of nonalcoholic fruit-based drink, like lime cordial. Example: My parents were always very cordial and welcoming when I brought new friends home.