noun
- Plural of cardinalate; the office, rank, or dignity of a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church.
Usage: Formal; ecclesiastical context
Examples
- Several bishops were elevated to cardinalates during the papal conclave.
- The cardinalates held by these prelates gave them significant influence in Vatican affairs.
- He aspired to a cardinalate throughout his ecclesiastical career.
- The distribution of cardinalates among different regions reflected the Church's global priorities.