Cardinalship

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The position or office held by a high-ranking prelate in the Roman Catholic Church who ranks below the Pope
2. The title associated with a high-ranking ecclesiastical leader within the Catholic Church, who plays a crucial role in governance and may assist in the election of a Pope
3. The role or station of a senior religious official in the Catholic Church, subordinate only to the Pontiff, responsible for advising and decision-making

Etymology: "Cardinalship" is a plain compound: the noun "cardinal" plus the suffix "-ship," which attaches to nouns to name a state, office, or rank, as in "friendship" or "authorship." So the word means the office or dignity of a cardinal. The base word carries the more interesting history. "Cardinal" comes from Latin "cardinalis," meaning "principal" or "chief," derived from "cardo," a hinge, the idea being that something important turns on it. Church usage applied the term to the priests who served the major churches of Rome, and over time it came to denote the senior princes of the Church who advise the Pope and elect his successor. Their red hats and robes are a later visual marker of that rank. Because "-ship" is productive and attaches to ordinary nouns, "cardinalship" is a transparent formation, and its meaning follows directly from the parts: the rank and standing that a cardinal holds.