cardinalate

Borrowed from Ecclesiastical Latin cardinālātus, from cardinālis (“cardinal”) + -ātus, itself the noun use of an adjective derived from cardō (“hinge, main point”) + -ālis (“-al”). By surface analysis, cardinal +‎ -ate (forms nouns denoting rank or office).

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɑː(ɹ)dɪnələt/

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cardinalate (plural cardinalates)

1. The dignity and ecclesiastic office of Roman Catholic cardinal.

   Synonym: cardinalship

   The cardinalate ranks equal to a secular prince of the blood.

2. The Roman Catholic cardinals, taken collectively.

   The cardinalate under a maximum age composes the conclave which elects the pope.

First attested in 1587; from cardinal +‎ -ate (verb-forming suffix).

cardinalate (third-person singular simple present cardinalates, present participle cardinalating, simple past and past participle cardinalated) (obsolete)

1. To raise to the rank of cardinal.