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Glite Dictionary
Crux

Crux

1 9.1
A small group of bright stars in the southern sky called the Southern Cross
  • noun
  • /krʌks/
translation icon : Cruz del Sur
  • Astronomers study the crux constellation to better understand our Milky Way galaxy.

Examples

  • During our camping trip, we admired the crux, which stood out brightly among the stars.

  • Kuli wore a crux on a cord around his neck; at meetings he took it out for all to see.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Crux of breastbone cut and quivering.

    Academic text (2014)

  • "Another Crux?" whispered Maks.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • The crux of the Southern Cross is easily recognizable in the night sky.

Synonyms

Southern Cross
vsCrux
3 6.8

A small group of stars that makes a cross shape in the southern sky

is the other established name for that same constellation
Crux Australis
vsCrux
9.0

A small bright group of stars in the southern sky called the Southern Cross

is the other established name used for that same constellation

Idioms

crux of the matter
4 5.6

The most important part of a problem or discussion

Compounds

Hypericum crux-andrae
  • Specialized
9.9

A small bush with yellow four-petalled flowers in a cross shape often found in the southeastern United States

Surface Forms

Crux singular
Cruxes plural

Etymology

Crux comes from the Latin word crux, meaning 'cross', the same root behind the English word cross. The bright stars make a clear cross shape in the southern sky, so people called this small, important group of stars the Crux and used it to find direction.