Jerusalem cross

noun

1. a cross whose four arms are each capped with a crossbar and often with a small Greek cross centered in each quadrant.
2. scarlet lychnis.

Jerusalem cross

noun

1. a cross the equal arms of which end in a bar Also calledcross potent

Word History and Origins

Origin of Jerusalem cross¹

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

Hegseth has tattoos associated with white nationalist movements, including a symbol popular with Christian nationalists referred to as a Jerusalem cross.

From Los Angeles Times

The most popular images remain variations of the Jerusalem cross, an emblem of the crusades that is a cross of four equal sides with four smaller crosses drawn in each of its quadrants.

From New York Times

"For a while now, I have drawn it on my hand every day to remind myself to always tell the truth. I later discovered that it has traditionally been known as a Jerusalem cross."

From BBC

The Jerusalem cross symbolises many aspects of Christianity, including pilgrimage, but crusader imagery and the word “crusade” is regularly used in the US regarding the Middle East.

From The Guardian

It was a black and red Jerusalem cross, made up of one central cross and four smaller ones, adorned with palm trees and the number 2017, representing his pilgrimage and the year his mother died.

From Reuters