"Ordinal" refers to a type of 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 first position, while the one who comes in second is in the second position. Ordinal numbers help us understand rankings, such as first, second, and third, rather than just counting how many items there are. In everyday life, we often use ordinal numbers to describe events or items. For instance, when giving directions, you might say, "Take the first left," or when discussing a list of favorite movies, you might say, "My third favorite is Inception." Ordinals help us communicate clearly about order and preference.