CORDIAL

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cordial mean? 

• CORDIAL (noun)
  The noun CORDIAL has 1 sense:

1. strong highly flavored sweet liquor usually drunk after a meal

  Familiarity information: CORDIAL used as a noun is very rare.

• CORDIAL (adjective)
  The adjective CORDIAL has 3 senses:

1. diffusing warmth and friendliness
2. showing warm and heartfelt friendliness
3. sincerely or intensely felt

  Familiarity information: CORDIAL used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CORDIAL (noun)

Meaning:

Strong highly flavored sweet liquor usually drunk after a meal

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

cordial; liqueur

Hypernyms ("cordial" is a kind of...):

alcohol; alcoholic beverage; inebriant; intoxicant (a liquor or brew containing alcohol as the active agent)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cordial"):

absinth; absinthe (strong green liqueur flavored with wormwood and anise)

ratafee; ratafia (sweet liqueur made from wine and brandy flavored with plum or peach or apricot kernels and bitter almonds)

pousse-cafe (small drink served after dinner (especially several liqueurs poured carefully so as to remain in separate layers))

Pernod ((registered trademark) a liqueur flavored with anise)

pastis (similar to absinthe but containing no wormwood)

maraschino; maraschino liqueur (distilled from fermented juice of bitter wild marasca cherries)

kummel (liqueur flavored with caraway seed or cumin)

orange liqueur (liqueur flavored with orange)

Galliano (golden Italian liqueur flavored with herbs)

Drambuie (a sweet Scotch whisky liqueur)

creme de fraise (strawberry-flavored liqueur)

creme de menthe (sweet green or white mint-flavored liqueur)

creme de cacao (sweet liqueur flavored with vanilla and cacao beans)

coffee liqueur (coffee-flavored liqueur)

Chartreuse (aromatic green or yellow liqueur flavored with orange peel and hyssop and peppermint; made at monastery near Grenoble, France)

benedictine (a French liqueur originally made by Benedictine monks)

anisette; anisette de Bordeaux (liquorice-flavored usually colorless sweet liqueur made from aniseed)

amaretto (an Italian almond liqueur)

sambuca (an Italian liqueur made with elderberries and flavored with licorice)

• CORDIAL (adjective)

Meaning:

Diffusing warmth and friendliness

Synonyms:

affable; cordial; genial; amiable

Context examples:

an affable smile / an amiable gathering / cordial relations / a cordial greeting / a genial host

Similar:

friendly (characteristic of or befitting a friend)

Meaning:

Showing warm and heartfelt friendliness

Synonyms:

hearty; cordial

Context examples:

gave us a cordial reception / a hearty welcome

Similar:

warm (psychologically warm; friendly and responsive)

Meaning:

Sincerely or intensely felt

Context examples:

a cordial regard for his visitor's comfort / a cordial abhorrence of waste

Similar:

sincere (open and genuine; not deceitful)