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Victoria Cross

American

noun

a British decoration awarded to soldiers and sailors for acts of conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy. V.C.

Victoria Cross British

noun

the highest decoration for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded to the British and Commonwealth armed forces: instituted in 1856 by Queen Victoria

"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

Etymology

Origin of Victoria Cross

First recorded in 1855–60

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.

Roberts-Smith won the Victoria Cross -- Australia's highest military honour -- for "conspicuous gallantry" in Afghanistan while on the hunt for a senior Taliban commander.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

He was treated for his wounds at a hospital in Brighton and was later decorated with the Victoria Cross.

From BBC • Sep. 29, 2025

Gibson survived the raid and was awarded the Victoria Cross.

From BBC • May 5, 2025

Corporal Sidney Bates posthumously received Britain's Victoria Cross for "supreme gallantry" after repeatedly charging a critical German position with a light machine gun before dying of his wounds.

From Reuters • Nov. 12, 2023

The Victoria Cross for moral courage can seldom be gained by a single act of valor.

From The New Rector by Weyman, Stanley John

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023