pax
1 Americannoun
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Ecclesiastical. kiss of peace.
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(initial capital letter) a period in history marked by the absence of major wars, usually imposed by a predominant nation.
noun
noun
interjection
noun
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Greek counterpart: Irene. the Roman goddess of peace
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a period of general peace, esp one in which there is one dominant nation
abbreviation
Etymology
Origin of pax
1325–75; Middle English < Latin: peace
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
I suggest we relish life under pax atomica.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 7, 2022
The Latin reads “et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis,” which translates not as “Peace on Earth. Good will toward men,” but as, “On Earth, peace to men of good will.”
From Washington Post ● Dec. 31, 2020
Septuagesimo Uno may not offer the vast expanses of nearby Central Park, but if you can find a seat on one of its six benches, you might find a little pax et quies.
From New York Times ● Apr. 7, 2015
As the power of I. A. & A. grew, transcending governments, the idea became a fact, and for 50 years the world lived under an international pax aeronautica.
From Time Magazine Archive
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Might it not be possible to walk boldly into the fort, say-"I've got pax," laugh lightly and sleep among the others?
From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
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Of Pax Silica’s 24 signatories—25 if you include Taiwan, which is a participant but not a signatory—the vast majority are traditional U.S. allies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
Since February, India has been a member of Pax Silica, a U.S.-led initiative that seeks to secure AI supply chains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
That led to nearly 50 years of expanding prosperity during the period often described as Pax Americana.
From Salon ● Mar. 25, 2026
Novocure, the Swiss biopharmaceutical company, soared 20% after the Food and Drug Administration approved its Optune Pax treatment for pancreatic cancers in adults.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
Pax shook the night’s rain off his back and headed for the road without even stretching his stiff muscles, straining for his boy’s scent.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
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Still, in a late-night session when ease trumps everything, the PAX Four is a dependable choice.
From Salon ● Apr. 18, 2025
Wallinger grew up in Prestatyn, Wales, where as a teen he played in PAX, a punk band with Nigel Twist and Dave Sharp, who would go on to form The Alarm.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 12, 2024
The demos will be similar to the limited levels and early samples of games that fans would typically spend hours waiting in line to play at E3 or PAX.
From The Verge ● Jun. 9, 2022
According to data from CoinMarketCap, daily PAX gold trading volumes ranged between $10 million to $520 million over the past month, compared to ether volumes which fluctuated between $8.7 billion and $25 billion in April.
From Reuters ● Apr. 19, 2022
Cranly turned his pale face to Stephen and said blandly and bitterly: —PER PAX UNIVERSALIS.
From A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by Joyce, James
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.