Crucifixion
name, noun, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 An execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross and left to hang there until dead. countable, uncountable
"Rome used crucifixions as a deterrent, and standard for the 'vilest' crimes, such as slave rebellion."
- 2 the infliction of extremely painful punishment or suffering wordnet
- 3 An execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross and left to hang there until dead.; The death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. capitalized, countable, often, uncountable
- 4 the act of executing by a method widespread in the ancient world; the victim's hands and feet are bound or nailed to a cross wordnet
- 5 The military punishment of being tied to a fixed object, often with the limbs in a stretched position. colloquial, countable, historical, uncountable
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- 6 An ordeal, terrible, especially malicious treatment imposed upon someone. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"The suspects' hostile interrogation amounted to a public crucifixion."
- 1 The death of Jesus on a cross; the crucifixion of Jesus.
Example
More examples"Crucifixion, therefore, or any other particular manner of dying, made no part of the sentence that Adam was to suffer, and consequently, even upon their own tactic, it could make no part of the sentence that Christ was to suffer in the room of Adam."
Etymology
From Middle English crucifixioun, from Late Latin noun of process crucifīxiō, from perfect passive participle crucifīxus (“fixed to a cross”), from crux (“cross”) + fīgō.
Related phrases
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.