Cruciate
/ˈkruːʃiət/noun
Shaped like a cross or arranged in intersecting pairs, especially in anatomy.
Did you know?Latin cruciare, the ancestor of “cruciate,” originally meant “to torture,” literally connecting the word’s history to punishment on a cross.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kr(e)uk-
“A forked or crooked form; a proposed ancient source associated with the Latin cross-word family”
Ancient Latin
Latin
crux
“A cross, especially an instrument of execution”
Classical Latin
Latin
cruciare
“To torture or torment, originally in connection with crucifixion”
Classical Latin
Latin
cruciatus
“Tortured, tormented, or marked by a cross”
17th Century
English
cruciate
“Cross-shaped or intersecting; used in anatomical description”
Modern English
English
cruciate
“Cross-shaped, as in the cruciate ligaments of the knee”
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