CRUX (cruces)

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Crux mean? 

• CRUX (noun)
  The noun CRUX has 2 senses:

1. a small conspicuous constellation in the southern hemisphere in the Milky Way near Centaurus
2. the most important point

  Familiarity information: CRUX used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CRUX (noun)

Meaning:

A small conspicuous constellation in the southern hemisphere in the Milky Way near Centaurus

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

Crux; Crux Australis; Southern Cross

Instance hypernyms:

constellation (a configuration of stars as seen from the earth)

Meronyms (members of "Crux"):

Alpha Crucis (the brightest star in the Southern Cross)

Beta Crucis (the second brightest star in the Southern Cross)

Holonyms ("Crux" is a member of...):

Milky Way; Milky Way Galaxy; Milky Way System (the galaxy containing the solar system; consists of millions of stars that can be seen as a diffuse band of light stretching across the night sky)

Meaning:

The most important point

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

crux of the matter; crux

Hypernyms ("crux" is a kind of...):

point (a brief version of the essential meaning of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "crux"):

alpha and omega (the basic meaning of something; the crucial part)