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Glite Dictionary
Lorraine cross

Lorraine cross

9.9
A cross with two horizontal bars, the upper shorter, that people use as a symbol of Lorraine and resistance
  • noun
translation icon : cruz de Lorena
  • The Lorraine cross became a symbol of the Free French Forces during World War II.

Examples

  • The memorial is topped with a large Lorraine cross to honor the fallen soldiers.

  • You can see the Lorraine cross in many coats of arms from the Lorraine region.

  • The Lorraine cross is a symbol of resilience.

  • Many people wear a Lorraine cross as a sign of pride.

  • The Lorraine cross became a symbol of the Free French Forces during World War II.

  • The memorial is topped with a large Lorraine cross to honor the fallen soldiers.

  • You can see the Lorraine cross in many coats of arms from the Lorraine region.

Synonyms

cross
vsLorraine cross
109 1.0

A mark of two lines that meet, often at right angles

refers specifically to a form with two horizontal bars and regional symbolic meaning
Cross of Lorraine
vsLorraine cross
8.6

A cross with two bars, the lower bar longer than the upper, used as a symbol of Lorraine

has identical meaning but often linked specifically to resistance and honor
patriarchal cross
vsLorraine cross
  • Literature
9.9

A cross with two horizontal bars, the top bar shorter than the bottom, used in Eastern churches

is tied to a Western regional symbol and resistance rather than Eastern religious use

Surface Forms

Lorraine cross singular
Lorraine crosses plural

Morphology

Lorraine + cross

The compound 'Lorraine cross' transparently signals a type of cross associated with the Lorraine region, so a learner who knows 'Lorraine' and 'cross' can infer it denotes a regional/variant cross. However, the precise form (two horizontal bars) and its cultural symbolism (resistance/honor) are specific facts not predictable from the constituents, so full understanding requires extra background knowledge.

Etymology

Lorraine cross is a cross with two horizontal bars, a simple picture that long ago appeared on shields and coats of arms in the Lorraine region. In World War II the Free French used that clear image as a sign of 'resistance' and 'honor', so the cross today stands for those ideas.