Meanings
crucifixion1
nouncrucifixion (countable and uncountable, plural crucifixions)
plural crucifixions
- countableuncountableAn execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross and left to hang there until dead.
Rome used crucifixions as a deterrent, and standard for the 'vilest' crimes, such as slave rebellion.
1 more example
Centurion: Stabbed? Takes a second. Crucifixion lasts hours! It's a slow, horrible death! / Matthias: Well, at least it gets you out in the open air.
1979, Monty Python's Life of Brian- capitalizedcountableoftenuncountableChristianityThe death of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
- colloquialcountablehistoricaluncountablegovernmentThe military punishment of being tied to a fixed object, often with the limbs in a stretched position.
- countablefigurativelyuncountableAn ordeal, terrible, especially malicious treatment imposed upon someone.
The suspects' hostile interrogation amounted to a public crucifixion.
Crucifixion2
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe infliction of extremely painful punishment or suffering
Similar
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishcrucifixioun
- Englishcrucifixion
From Middle English crucifixioun, from Late Latin noun of process crucifīxiō, from perfect passive participle crucifīxus (“fixed to a cross”), from crux (“cross”) + fīgō.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans kruisiging, kruisdood
- kruisigingdeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- kruisdooddeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- kruisigingexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- kruisdoodexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Ancient Greek σταύρωσῐς, σταύρωσῐς
- σταύρωσῐς (staúrōsĭs)death of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- σταύρωσῐς (staúrōsĭs)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Arabic صَلْب
- صَلْب (ṣalb)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Bulgarian разпя́тие, разпя́тие
- разпя́тие (razpjátie)death of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- разпя́тие (razpjátie)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- ра́зпване (rázpvane)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- разпъ́ване (razpắvane)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- разпъ́ване на кръст (razpắvane na krăst)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Catalan crucifixió
- crucifixióexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Chinese Mandarin 釘十字架 /钉十字架
- 釘十字架 /钉十字架 (dīng shízìjià)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Czech ukřižování
- ukřižováníexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Danish korsfæstelse, Kristi korsfæstelse
- korsfæstelsedeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- Kristi korsfæstelsedeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- korsfæstelseexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Dutch de kruisiging, de kruisdood
- de kruisigingdeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- de kruisdooddeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- kruisigingexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- kruisdoodexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- dood aan het kruisexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Esperanto krucumo, krucumado
- krucumodeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- krucumadoexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- krucumoexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Estonian ristilöömine
- ristilöömineexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Finnish ristiinnaulitseminen, ristiinnaulitseminen
- ristiinnaulitseminendeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- ristiinnaulitseminenexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
French crucifixion, crucifiement
- crucifixiondeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- crucifiementexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
German Kreuzigung, Kreuzigung
- Kreuzigungdeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- Kreuzigungexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- Kreuzigenexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Greek σταύρωση, σταύρωση
- σταύρωση (stávrosi)death of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- σταύρωση (stávrosi)ordeal
- σταύρωμα (stávroma)ordeal
- σταύρωση (stávrosi)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Hebrew צְלִיבָה
- צְלִיבָהexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Hungarian kereszthalál, kínzás
- kereszthaláldeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- kínzásordeal
- keresztre feszítésexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Icelandic krossfesting
- krossfestingexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Irish céasadh, crochadh
- céasadhdeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- crochadhdeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- céasadhexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- crochadhexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Italian crocifissione, crocefissione
- crocifissionedeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- crocefissionedeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- crocifissioneexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- crocefissioneexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Japanese はりつけ, 磔
- はりつけ (haritsuke)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- 磔 (haritsuke)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Korean 십자가형
- 십자가형 (sipjagahyeong)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Latin crucifīxiō
- crucifīxiōexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Malay penyaliban
- penyalibanexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Māori rīpekatanga
- rīpekatangaexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Norwegian Bokmål korsfestelse, korsfesting
- korsfestelseexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- korsfestingexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Persian برصلیب آویزی
- برصلیب آویزی (barsalib āvizi)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Polish ukrzyżowanie, ukrzyżowanie
- ukrzyżowaniedeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- ukrzyżowanieexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Portuguese crucificação, crucifixão
- crucificaçãodeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- crucifixãodeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- crucificaçãoexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- crucifixãoexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Romanian răstignire
- răstignireexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Russian распя́тие, распя́тие
- распя́тие (raspjátije)death of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- распя́тие (raspjátije)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Scottish Gaelic ceusadh, ceusadh
- ceusadhdeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- ceusadhexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Slovak ukrižovanie
- ukrižovanieexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Spanish crucifixión
- crucifixiónexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Swedish korsfästning, korsfästning
- korsfästningdeath of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- korsfästningexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
- korsfästelseexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Thai การตรึงกางเขน
- การตรึงกางเขนexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Ukrainian розп'я́ття, розп'я́ття
- розп'я́ття (rozpʺjáttja)death of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- розп'я́ття (rozpʺjáttja)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Welsh croeshoeliad
- croeshoeliadexecution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Yiddish קרייציקונג, קרייציקונג
- קרייציקונג (kreytsikung)death of Jesus Christ on the Cross
- קרייציקונג (kreytsikung)execution by being nailed or tied to an upright cross
Cite this entry
APA
crucifixion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crucifixion
MLA
“crucifixion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crucifixion. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “crucifixion,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crucifixion.
Source: crucifixion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.