An "ordinal" refers to a number that indicates the position or order of something in a sequence. For example, in a race, the runner who finishes first is in the 1st position, while the one who comes in second is in the 2nd position. Ordinals help us understand rankings, such as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, making it easier to identify who is ahead or behind. In everyday life, we often use ordinals to describe dates, like January 1st or February 14th. They are also common in lists, such as the top 10 movies of the year. By using ordinals, we can clearly communicate the order of items or events.