staurogram

English

Alternative forms

• Staurogram

Etymology

From stauro- +‎ -gram. Coined c. 1970 as a parallel of Christogram, earlier (1870s) the τρ ligature was referred to as monogrammatic cross. German Staurogramm in the same sense possibly slightly earlier (1960s); the German word was used earlier (1840s) only in the sense of a geometric configuration in crystallography; similarly, New Latin Staurogramma before 1970 only as systematic name of a genus of Bacillariophyceae (L. Rabenhorst, 1853).

Noun

staurogram (plural staurograms)

1. A ligature, ⳨, of the Greek letters τ and ρ or Coptic letters ⲧ and ⲣ, later used as a symbol of the cross in early Christianity and remaining in use as a ligature in abbreviations of the words σταυρός and σταυρόω.

Dutch

Etymology

Likely borrowed from German Staurogramm.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌstɑu̯.roːˈɣrɑm/
• Hyphenation: stau‧ro‧gram
• Rhymes: -ɑm

Noun

staurogram n (plural staurogrammen)

1. (historical, Christianity) staurogram (ligature and symbol of the cross)