early 12c., one of the ecclesiastical princes who constitute the sacred college (short for cardinalis ecclesiae Romanae or episcopus cardinalis), from Latin cardinalis principal, chief, essential (see cardinal (adj.)). Ecclesiastical use began for the presbyters of the chief (cardinal) churches of Rome.
In 1889, the rotary telephone dial was invented by Almon B. Strowger , a Kansas City undertaker. The first dial exchange was installed at La Porte, Indiana, in 1892. In 1943, Philadelphia was the last major area to give up dual service.
The cordless phone was further developed by George Sweigert, an amateur radio operator and inventor from Cleveland, Ohio. In 1966 he submitted a patent for a cordless phone (âfull duplex wireless communications apparatusâ) with The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and was awarded the patent in 1969.