crusade
/kruːˈseɪd/
noun
Origin
Latin
crux — cross
Overview
Meaning Now
- A series of medieval military expeditions organized by Western European Christians to recover the Holy Land from the Muslims.
- A vigorous, aggressive movement for the defense or advancement of an idea, cause, or social reform.
Literal older meaning
marked with a cross
Language path
Latin → Old Occitan → French → English
Earliest form
crusado
Earliest period
late 16th century
Journey
The term refers specifically to the series of wars between 1095 and 1291. Crusaders were so-called because they took a vow to 'take the cross' (crucesignati) as a badge of their commitment.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
crux
“cross”
- Medieval Latin
cruciatus
“marked with a cross”
Participants wore crosses on their clothing.
- Old Occitan
crozada
“expedition marked by the cross”
- 16th-century English
crusado
“military expedition to the Holy Land”
Reflects Spanish influence.
- Modern English
crusade
“sustained campaign for a cause”
Semantic broadening from religious to social causes.
Connections
Word parts
cruc-
root
cross
-ade
suffix
action or process
Related across languages
Spanish
cruzada
crusade
French
croisade
crusade
Italian
crociata
crusade
Explore next
Related to crusade
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.