"crux" meaning in English

See crux in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /kɹʌks/ [UK, US] Audio: en-us-crux.ogg [US], en-au-crux.ogg [Australia] Forms: cruxes [plural], cruces [plural]
Rhymes: -ʌks Etymology: From Latin crux (“cross, wooden frame for execution”), possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, to bend”). Doublet of cross and crouch (“cross”). Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*(s)ker- (turn)}}, {{bor|en|la|crux||cross, wooden frame for execution}} Latin crux (“cross, wooden frame for execution”), {{der|en|ine-pro|*(s)ker-||to turn, to bend}} Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, to bend”), {{doublet|en|cross|crouch|t2=cross}} Doublet of cross and crouch (“cross”) Head templates: {{en-noun|+|cruces}} crux (plural cruxes or cruces)
  1. The basic, central, or essential point or feature. Synonyms: core, gist, gist Translations (central or essential point): مَرْبِط الْفَرَس (marbiṭ al-faras) [masculine] (Arabic), առանցքային կետ (aṙancʿkʿayin ket) (Armenian), առանցք (aṙancʿkʿ) (Armenian), същност на проблема (sǎštnost na problema) (Bulgarian), moll de l'os [masculine] (Catalan), quid [masculine] (Catalan), 關鍵 (Chinese Mandarin), 关键 (guānjiàn) (Chinese Mandarin), podstata [feminine] (Czech), ydin (Finnish), Kern (-punkt) [masculine] (German), עיקר (ikar) [masculine] (Hebrew), punto cruciale [masculine] (Italian), കാര്യം (kāryaṁ) (Malayalam), tino (Maori), sedno [neuter] (Polish), ponto crucial [masculine] (Portuguese), punct crucial [neuter] (Romanian), основная проблема (osnovnaja problema) [feminine] (Russian), решающий вопрос (rešajuščij vopros) [masculine] (Russian), суть (sutʹ) [feminine] (Russian), punto crucial [masculine] (Spanish), punto esencial [masculine] (Spanish), kärna (Swedish), craidd [masculine] (Welsh)
    Sense id: en-crux-en-noun-~3qw8zf0 Disambiguation of 'central or essential point': 69 17 1 13 1
  2. The critical or transitional moment or issue, a turning point. Translations (critical or transitional moment): շրջադարձային կետ (šrǰadarjayin ket) (Armenian), критичен момент (kritičen moment) (Bulgarian), kruispunt [neuter] (Dutch), käännekohta (Finnish), taitekohta (Finnish), Wendepunkt [masculine] (German), momento decisivo [masculine] (Portuguese), moment decisiv [neuter] (Romanian)
    Sense id: en-crux-en-noun-sum9oXdE Disambiguation of 'critical or transitional moment': 8 88 1 3 1
  3. A puzzle or difficulty. Translations (puzzle or difficulty): затруднение (zatrudnenie) [neuter] (Bulgarian), hankaluus (Finnish), Crux [feminine] (German), Knackpunkt [masculine] (German), zagadka [feminine] (Polish), busilis (Spanish), krux [neuter] (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-crux-en-noun-yKSe8e5B Disambiguation of 'puzzle or difficulty': 1 1 96 1 1
  4. (climbing) The hardest point of a climb. Categories (topical): Climbing, Crosses Translations (hardest part of a climb): vaikein kohta (Finnish), crux [masculine] (French)
    Sense id: en-crux-en-noun-3TkM8LoM Disambiguation of Crosses: 11 9 10 40 30 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with topic categories using raw markup Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 15 11 3 46 24 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 21 13 3 45 17 Topics: climbing, hobbies, lifestyle, sports Disambiguation of 'hardest part of a climb': 6 5 3 82 4
  5. (heraldry) A cross on a coat of arms. Categories (topical): Heraldic charges
    Sense id: en-crux-en-noun-5sxcDvln Topics: government, heraldry, hobbies, lifestyle, monarchy, nobility, politics
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: crux ansata, crux decussata, crux gammata, crux ordinaria, crux simplex, cruxy Related terms: cross, crucial

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for crux meaning in English (12.5kB)

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "crux ansata"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "crux decussata"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "crux gammata"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "crux ordinaria"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "crux simplex"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "cruxy"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "fr",
            "2": "crux",
            "bor": "1"
          },
          "expansion": "→ French: crux",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ French: crux"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)ker- (turn)"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "crux",
        "4": "",
        "5": "cross, wooden frame for execution"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin crux (“cross, wooden frame for execution”)",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)ker-",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to turn, to bend"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, to bend”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "cross",
        "3": "crouch",
        "t2": "cross"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of cross and crouch (“cross”)",
      "name": "doublet"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Latin crux (“cross, wooden frame for execution”), possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, to bend”). Doublet of cross and crouch (“cross”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "cruxes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cruces",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "+",
        "2": "cruces"
      },
      "expansion": "crux (plural cruxes or cruces)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "cross"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "crucial"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The crux of her argument was that the roadways needed repair before anything else could be accomplished.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The basic, central, or essential point or feature."
      ],
      "id": "en-crux-en-noun-~3qw8zf0",
      "links": [
        [
          "central",
          "central"
        ],
        [
          "essential",
          "essential"
        ],
        [
          "point",
          "point"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "core"
        },
        {
          "word": "gist"
        },
        {
          "word": "gist"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "roman": "marbiṭ al-faras",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "مَرْبِط الْفَرَس"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "roman": "aṙancʿkʿayin ket",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "word": "առանցքային կետ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "roman": "aṙancʿkʿ",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "word": "առանցք"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "sǎštnost na problema",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "word": "същност на проблема"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "moll de l'os"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "quid"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "word": "關鍵"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "guānjiàn",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "word": "关键"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "podstata"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "word": "ydin"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Kern (-punkt)"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "roman": "ikar",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "עיקר"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "punto cruciale"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "ml",
          "lang": "Malayalam",
          "roman": "kāryaṁ",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "word": "കാര്യം"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "word": "tino"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "sedno"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "ponto crucial"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "punct crucial"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "osnovnaja problema",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "основная проблема"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "rešajuščij vopros",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "решающий вопрос"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "sutʹ",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "суть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "punto crucial"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "punto esencial"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "word": "kärna"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "69 17 1 13 1",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "central or essential point",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "craidd"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1993, Laurence M. Porter, “Real Dreams, Literary Dreams, and the Fantastic in Literature”, in Carol Schreier Rupprecht, editor, The Dream and the Text: Essays on Literature and Language, pages 32–47",
          "text": "The mad certitude of the ogre, Abel Tiffauges, that he stands at the crux of history and that he will be able to raise Prussia \"to a higher power\" (p. 180), contrasts sharply with the anxiety and doubt attendant upon most modern literary dreams.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The critical or transitional moment or issue, a turning point."
      ],
      "id": "en-crux-en-noun-sum9oXdE",
      "links": [
        [
          "critical",
          "critical"
        ],
        [
          "transitional",
          "transitional"
        ],
        [
          "moment",
          "moment"
        ],
        [
          "issue",
          "issue"
        ],
        [
          "turning point",
          "turning point"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "8 88 1 3 1",
          "code": "hy",
          "lang": "Armenian",
          "roman": "šrǰadarjayin ket",
          "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
          "word": "շրջադարձային կետ"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 88 1 3 1",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "kritičen moment",
          "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
          "word": "критичен момент"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 88 1 3 1",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "kruispunt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 88 1 3 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
          "word": "käännekohta"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 88 1 3 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
          "word": "taitekohta"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 88 1 3 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Wendepunkt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 88 1 3 1",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "momento decisivo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "8 88 1 3 1",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "moment decisiv"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1775, Thomas Sheridan, Lectures on the Art of Reading",
          "text": "What I have advanced upon this species of verse will contribute to solve a poetical problem, thrown out by Dryden as a crux to his brethren",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1860, Marian Evans (translator), The Life of Jesus, Critically Examined (originally by David Strauss)",
          "text": "The perpetual crux of New Testament chronologists.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A puzzle or difficulty."
      ],
      "id": "en-crux-en-noun-yKSe8e5B",
      "links": [
        [
          "puzzle",
          "puzzle"
        ],
        [
          "difficulty",
          "difficulty"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 96 1 1",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "zatrudnenie",
          "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "затруднение"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 96 1 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
          "word": "hankaluus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 96 1 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Crux"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 96 1 1",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Knackpunkt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 96 1 1",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "zagadka"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 96 1 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
          "word": "busilis"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 1 96 1 1",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "krux"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Climbing",
          "orig": "en:Climbing",
          "parents": [
            "Sports",
            "Human activity",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 11 3 46 24",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "21 13 3 45 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "11 9 10 40 30",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Crosses",
          "orig": "en:Crosses",
          "parents": [
            "Christianity",
            "Abrahamism",
            "Religion",
            "Culture",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1907, The Alpine Journal, volume 23",
          "text": "the real crux of the climb was encountered",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1973, Pat Armstrong, \"Klondike Fever: Seventy Years Too Late\", in Backpacker, Autumn 1973, page 84",
          "text": "The final half-mile was the crux of the climb."
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, Craig Luebben, Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills, The Mountaineers Books, page 179",
          "text": "Most pitches have a distinct crux, or tough spot; some have multiple cruxes. […] ¶ Climb efficiently on the \"cruiser\" sections to stay fresh for the cruxes.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2009, R. J. Secor, The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, and Trails, Third Edition, The Mountaineers Books, page 51",
          "text": "Continue climbing the groove; the crux is passing some vegetation on the second pitch.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The hardest point of a climb."
      ],
      "id": "en-crux-en-noun-3TkM8LoM",
      "links": [
        [
          "climbing",
          "climbing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "hardest",
          "hardest"
        ],
        [
          "point",
          "point"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(climbing) The hardest point of a climb."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "climbing",
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "sports"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "6 5 3 82 4",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "hardest part of a climb",
          "word": "vaikein kohta"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "6 5 3 82 4",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "hardest part of a climb",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "crux"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Heraldic charges",
          "orig": "en:Heraldic charges",
          "parents": [
            "Heraldry",
            "History",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A cross on a coat of arms."
      ],
      "id": "en-crux-en-noun-5sxcDvln",
      "links": [
        [
          "heraldry",
          "heraldry"
        ],
        [
          "cross",
          "cross"
        ],
        [
          "coat of arms",
          "coat of arms"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(heraldry) A cross on a coat of arms."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "government",
        "heraldry",
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "monarchy",
        "nobility",
        "politics"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kɹʌks/",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ʌks"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-crux.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/6f/En-us-crux.ogg/En-us-crux.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/En-us-crux.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-crux.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/94/En-au-crux.ogg/En-au-crux.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/En-au-crux.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "crux"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 1-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English doublets",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English nouns with irregular plurals",
    "English terms borrowed from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *(s)ker- (turn)",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "Rhymes:English/ʌks",
    "Rhymes:English/ʌks/1 syllable",
    "en:Crosses",
    "la:People"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "crux ansata"
    },
    {
      "word": "crux decussata"
    },
    {
      "word": "crux gammata"
    },
    {
      "word": "crux ordinaria"
    },
    {
      "word": "crux simplex"
    },
    {
      "word": "cruxy"
    }
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "depth": 1,
      "templates": [
        {
          "args": {
            "1": "fr",
            "2": "crux",
            "bor": "1"
          },
          "expansion": "→ French: crux",
          "name": "desc"
        }
      ],
      "text": "→ French: crux"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)ker- (turn)"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "crux",
        "4": "",
        "5": "cross, wooden frame for execution"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin crux (“cross, wooden frame for execution”)",
      "name": "bor"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)ker-",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to turn, to bend"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, to bend”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "cross",
        "3": "crouch",
        "t2": "cross"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of cross and crouch (“cross”)",
      "name": "doublet"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Latin crux (“cross, wooden frame for execution”), possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, to bend”). Doublet of cross and crouch (“cross”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "cruxes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "cruces",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "+",
        "2": "cruces"
      },
      "expansion": "crux (plural cruxes or cruces)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "cross"
    },
    {
      "word": "crucial"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The crux of her argument was that the roadways needed repair before anything else could be accomplished.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The basic, central, or essential point or feature."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "central",
          "central"
        ],
        [
          "essential",
          "essential"
        ],
        [
          "point",
          "point"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "core"
        },
        {
          "word": "gist"
        },
        {
          "word": "gist"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1993, Laurence M. Porter, “Real Dreams, Literary Dreams, and the Fantastic in Literature”, in Carol Schreier Rupprecht, editor, The Dream and the Text: Essays on Literature and Language, pages 32–47",
          "text": "The mad certitude of the ogre, Abel Tiffauges, that he stands at the crux of history and that he will be able to raise Prussia \"to a higher power\" (p. 180), contrasts sharply with the anxiety and doubt attendant upon most modern literary dreams.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The critical or transitional moment or issue, a turning point."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "critical",
          "critical"
        ],
        [
          "transitional",
          "transitional"
        ],
        [
          "moment",
          "moment"
        ],
        [
          "issue",
          "issue"
        ],
        [
          "turning point",
          "turning point"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1775, Thomas Sheridan, Lectures on the Art of Reading",
          "text": "What I have advanced upon this species of verse will contribute to solve a poetical problem, thrown out by Dryden as a crux to his brethren",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1860, Marian Evans (translator), The Life of Jesus, Critically Examined (originally by David Strauss)",
          "text": "The perpetual crux of New Testament chronologists.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A puzzle or difficulty."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "puzzle",
          "puzzle"
        ],
        [
          "difficulty",
          "difficulty"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned",
        "en:Climbing"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1907, The Alpine Journal, volume 23",
          "text": "the real crux of the climb was encountered",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1973, Pat Armstrong, \"Klondike Fever: Seventy Years Too Late\", in Backpacker, Autumn 1973, page 84",
          "text": "The final half-mile was the crux of the climb."
        },
        {
          "ref": "2004, Craig Luebben, Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills, The Mountaineers Books, page 179",
          "text": "Most pitches have a distinct crux, or tough spot; some have multiple cruxes. […] ¶ Climb efficiently on the \"cruiser\" sections to stay fresh for the cruxes.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2009, R. J. Secor, The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, and Trails, Third Edition, The Mountaineers Books, page 51",
          "text": "Continue climbing the groove; the crux is passing some vegetation on the second pitch.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The hardest point of a climb."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "climbing",
          "climbing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "hardest",
          "hardest"
        ],
        [
          "point",
          "point"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(climbing) The hardest point of a climb."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "climbing",
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "sports"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Heraldic charges"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A cross on a coat of arms."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "heraldry",
          "heraldry"
        ],
        [
          "cross",
          "cross"
        ],
        [
          "coat of arms",
          "coat of arms"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(heraldry) A cross on a coat of arms."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "government",
        "heraldry",
        "hobbies",
        "lifestyle",
        "monarchy",
        "nobility",
        "politics"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/kɹʌks/",
      "tags": [
        "UK",
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ʌks"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-crux.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/6f/En-us-crux.ogg/En-us-crux.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/En-us-crux.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-crux.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/94/En-au-crux.ogg/En-au-crux.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/94/En-au-crux.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "marbiṭ al-faras",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "مَرْبِط الْفَرَس"
    },
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "roman": "aṙancʿkʿayin ket",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "word": "առանցքային կետ"
    },
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "roman": "aṙancʿkʿ",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "word": "առանցք"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "sǎštnost na problema",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "word": "същност на проблема"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "moll de l'os"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "quid"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "word": "關鍵"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "guānjiàn",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "word": "关键"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "podstata"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "word": "ydin"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Kern (-punkt)"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "roman": "ikar",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "עיקר"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "punto cruciale"
    },
    {
      "code": "ml",
      "lang": "Malayalam",
      "roman": "kāryaṁ",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "word": "കാര്യം"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "word": "tino"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "sedno"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "ponto crucial"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "punct crucial"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "osnovnaja problema",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "основная проблема"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "rešajuščij vopros",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "решающий вопрос"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "sutʹ",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "суть"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "punto crucial"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "punto esencial"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "word": "kärna"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "central or essential point",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "craidd"
    },
    {
      "code": "hy",
      "lang": "Armenian",
      "roman": "šrǰadarjayin ket",
      "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
      "word": "շրջադարձային կետ"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "kritičen moment",
      "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
      "word": "критичен момент"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "kruispunt"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
      "word": "käännekohta"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
      "word": "taitekohta"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Wendepunkt"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "momento decisivo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "critical or transitional moment",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "moment decisiv"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "zatrudnenie",
      "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "затруднение"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
      "word": "hankaluus"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Crux"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Knackpunkt"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "zagadka"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
      "word": "busilis"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "puzzle or difficulty",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "krux"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "hardest part of a climb",
      "word": "vaikein kohta"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "hardest part of a climb",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "crux"
    }
  ],
  "word": "crux"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.