cruciverbalist
[ kroo-suh-vur-buh-list ]
/ ˌkru səˈvɜr bə lɪst /
noun
a designer or aficionado of crossword puzzles.
RELATED CONTENT
Who Invented The Crossword?Arthur Wynne is usually credited with inventing the crossword. His first puzzle, called a word-cross, was published in December 1913 in the New York World. But there may have been other predecessors to the crossword: in England in the 19th century and an Italian version called per passare il tempo, which means “to pass the time.” Word crosses eventually became known as crosswords, and their creators …
Nearby words
crucifixion thorn, cruciform, cruciformly, crucify, crucis, cruciverbalist, cruck, crud, cruddy, crude, crude oil
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for cruciverbalist
cruciverbalist
/ (ˌkruːsɪˈvɜːbəlɪst) /
noun
a crossword puzzle enthusiast
Word Origin for cruciverbalist
C20: from Latin crux cross + verbum word
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for cruciverbalist
cruciverbalist
"maker of crossword puzzles," by 1990, coined in English from Latin cruci-, comb. form of crux "cross" (see cross (n.)) + verbum "word" (see verb).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper