English Reference
noun

knox

n.
US /ˈnɑks/ knox

  1. 01 C2 Proficiency Formal

    A common family name that comes from Scotland.

    A surname of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from 'cnoc' meaning a round hill.

    Simple

    The history book discussed the influence of John Knox on the Scottish church.

    In context

    Scholars of the Reformation frequently analyze the theological treatises of John Knox regarding the relationship between church and state.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency American English

    A famous place in the US where gold is kept, used to describe a place that is very secure.

    A reference to the United States Bullion Depository in Kentucky, often used metaphorically to describe a highly secure location.

    Simple

    With all these new locks, the house is like Fort Knox.

    In context

    The data center was designed to be a digital Fort Knox, featuring multiple layers of biometric security and physical barriers.


Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic cnoc (“round hill”).

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

This entry
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Frequent
Updated