English Reference

Word

crucifix

Phoneticscru·ci·fix

US/ˈkɹusəˌfɪks/

UK/kɹˈuːsɪfˌɪks/

Definition

n. a model of a cross with a figure of Jesus on it. It is a common symbol in many Christian churches.

n. a representation of a cross with a figure of Jesus Christ on it. Distinct from a plain cross, which lacks the corpus or figure.

Examples

“She wore a small silver crucifix on a chain.”

“The old stone church featured a large wooden crucifix hanging above the main altar.”

“Art historians often study the evolution of the crucifix to understand how different eras portrayed the physical suffering and divine nature of the central figure.”

Examples

simple

“She wore a small silver crucifix on a chain.”

contextual

“The old stone church featured a large wooden crucifix hanging above the main altar.”

complex

“Art historians often study the evolution of the crucifix to understand how different eras portrayed the physical suffering and divine nature of the central figure.”

Usage

Commonly used in religious contexts; often takes the preposition 'on' or 'above'.

Etymology

From Middle English crucifix, from Old French crocefis (French crucifix), from Latin crucifixus.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference