Meanings
plural ankhs · alternative onch
- A cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top, the Egyptian hieroglyph representing the Egyptian triliteral ꜥnḫ (“life”) and often used as an amulet or charm for this concept.
Now, the ankh that Thoth always held hovered in the air between Sekhmet and the Magus, and both fixed their gaze upon it.
2013, Gordon Strong, Windleroot, page 1252 more examples
On temple wall paintings, the ankh is often seen being carried by gods who hold it up to the nose of the pharaoh. This gesture symbolizes the offering of the "breath of life" or eternity. Sometimes the pharaoh is also depicted with a stream of water in the form of ankhs being poured over him during a purification ritual.
1994, Mira Bartok, Christine Ronan, Ancient Egypt and Nubia, page 11The ankh combines the male and female sexual symbols: a female oval surmounting a male cross. It was also called the Key of the Nile, and was said to represent the sacred marriage between the God and Goddess which took place each year at the source of the Nile before the river flooded. Egyptians regarded the ankh as a universal life charm.
2001, Anna Franklin, Paul Mason, Lammas: Celebrating Fruits of the First Harvest, page 245Synonyms: ansate cross, crux ansata, Egyptian cross, tau
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top, the Egyptian hieroglyph representing the Egyptian triliteral ꜥnḫ (“life”) and often used as an amulet or charm for this concept.
Origin
- Egyptiananx-Z1“life, to live, symbol for life”
- Englishankh
From Egyptian anx-Z1 (ꜥnḫ, “life, to live, symbol for life”).
More words from Egyptian
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans anch, ankh
- anchcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
- ankhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Arabic عَنْخ
- عَنْخ (ʕanḵ)cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Catalan creu ansada, ankh
- creu ansadacross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
- ankhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Chinese Mandarin T形十字章, 生命之符
- T形十字章 (T xíng shízì zhāng)cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
- 生命之符 (shēng mìng zhī fú)cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Czech anch, nilský kříž
- anchcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
- nilský křížcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Danish hankekors, ankh
- hankekorscross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
- ankhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Esperanto anĥo
- anĥocross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Finnish ankh
- ankhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
French ankh, ânkh
- ankhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
- ânkhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
German Anch
- Anchcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Hawaiian ʻānaka
- ʻānakacross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Hungarian ankh
- ankhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Japanese アンク
- アンク (anku)cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Korean 앙크
- 앙크 (angkeu)cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Latin crux ansāta
- crux ansātacross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Polish anch m ankh
- anch m ankhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Portuguese ankh
- ankhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Russian анх, анкх
- анх (anx)cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
- анкх (ankx)cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Spanish anj
- anjcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Swedish ankh
- ankhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Turkish ankh, nil'in anahtarı
- ankhcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
- nil'in anahtarıcross shaped like a T with a loop at the top
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with ankh
Anagrams
Cite this entry
ankh. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ankh
“ankh.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ankh. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ankh,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ankh.
Source: ankh on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.