crux

¹

[kruhks]

noun

plural

cruxes, cruces 

1. a vital, basic, decisive, or pivotal point.

   The crux of the trial was his whereabouts at the time of the murder.

   Synonyms: gist, core, heart, essence

2. a cross.

3. something that torments by its puzzling nature; a perplexing difficulty.

Crux

²

[kruhks]

noun

Astronomy.

genitive

Crucis 

1. Southern Cross.

crux

¹

/ krʌks /

noun

1. a vital or decisive stage, point, etc (often in the phrase the crux of the matter )

2. a baffling problem or difficulty

3. mountaineering the most difficult and often decisive part of a climb or pitch

4. a rare word for cross

Crux

²

/ krʌks /

noun

1. the more formal name for the Southern Cross

Word History and Origins

Origin of crux¹

1635–45; < Latin: stake, scaffold, or cross used in executions, torment; figurative senses perhaps < New Latin crux ( interpretum ) (commentators') torment, a difficult passage in a text; crucial

Origin of crux²

< Latin: a cross

Word History and Origins

Origin of crux¹

C18: from Latin: cross

Example Sentences

And that's the crux, fighting the wrinkle is a war of attrition.

From BBC

While Eland’s sprawling solar panels are eye-catching, it’s the unassuming batteries — which look like rows of large white shipping containers — that are the real crux of the project.

From Los Angeles Times

Let’s transcend the digital realm for a moment and consider the crux of this pain point, which reveals a conundrum that reaches far beyond our phones.

From Los Angeles Times

For numerous GOP voters, this suspicion is tied to religious fundamentalism and the very crux of the Scopes trial — that the theory of evolution contradicts the Bible and is, therefore, blasphemous.

From Salon

At its crux, cereal is a reliable pantry-staple, always there when you need it most.

From Salon

Related Words

• bottom line 
• core 
• essence 
• gist 
• nub