Meanings
calvary1
plural calvaries
- A life-size representation of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on a piece of raised ground.
- A type of monumental public Christian cross, sometimes encased in an open shrine.
Calvaries are typical of Galicia (Spain) and Portugal.
- broadlyfigurativelyA strenuous experience.
calvary2
- misspellingMisspelling of cavalry.
Calvary3
- The hill outside Jerusalem which is traditionally held to be the location of the crucifixion of Jesus.
This never-ending road to Calvary / These men who seem to know my crime / Will surely come a second time
1983, Herbert Kretzmer, “One Day More”, in Les MisérablesSynonyms: Golgotha
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounThe hill outside Jerusalem which is traditionally held to be the location of the crucifixion of Jesus.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
calvary · noun
- Late Latincalvāria“skull”
- Englishcalvary
From Late Latin calvāria (“skull”). Doublet of calavera and calvaria.
More words from Late Latin
Full word history & related roots →Calvary · proper noun
- Latincalvāria“skull”
- Middle EnglishCalvarie
- EnglishCalvary
From Middle English Calvarie, from Latin calvāria (“skull”).
More words from Middle English, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans Golgota
- Golgotathe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Chinese Cantonese 加略山
- 加略山 (gaa¹ loek⁶ saan¹)the hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Chinese Mandarin 加略山, 髑髏地 /髑髅地
- 加略山 (Jiālüè Shān)the hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
- 髑髏地 /髑髅地 (Dúlóudì)the hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
French calvaire, calvaire
- calvairea life-size representation of the crucifixion
- calvairea type of public monument
- Calvairethe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
German Calvaire
- Calvairea type of public monument
Greek Κρανίου τόπος, Γολγοθάς
- Κρανίου τόπος (Kraníou tópos)the hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
- Γολγοθάς (Golgothás)the hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Irish Calvaire
- Calvairethe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Italian calvario, Calvario
- calvarioa life-size representation of the crucifixion
- Calvariothe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Latin Calvarium
- Calvariumthe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Norwegian Bokmål Hodeskallen
- Hodeskallenthe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Polish Kalwaria, Golgota
- Kalwariathe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
- Golgotathe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Portuguese calvário, cruzeiro
- calvárioa life-size representation of the crucifixion
- cruzeiroa type of public monument
- Calváriothe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Romanian calvar
- calvara life-size representation of the crucifixion
Scottish Gaelic Calbhari
- Calbharithe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Spanish calvario, crucero
- calvarioa life-size representation of the crucifixion
- cruceroa type of public monument
- Calvariothe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Tagalog Kalbaryo
- Kalbaryothe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Vietnamese Canvê
- Canvêthe hill outside Jerusalem — see also Golgotha
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
calvary. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calvary
“calvary.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calvary. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “calvary,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/calvary.
Source: calvary on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.