calvary
calvary Lexical Profile
calvary Game Scores & Validity
• noun
(usually capitalized as Calvary) The hill outside ancient Jerusalem where, according to the Gospels, Jesus was crucified; Golgotha.
"Pilgrims traveled from across the region to visit the traditional site of Calvary inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre."
Asculptural representation of the crucifixion of Jesus, typically erected outdoors on a raised mound or beside a wayside shrine.
"The stone calvary in the village square dates back to the sixteenth century."
An experience of intense mental suffering, agony, or prolonged tribulation.
"The family endured a long calvary of legal battles before finally clearing his name."
Word Nuance & Usage
Frequently confused with "cavalry" (soldiers who fight on horseback or in armored vehicles) due to metathesis in casual speech and spelling.
Word Origin & Etymology
From Late Latin Calvaria ('place of the skull'), derived from Latin calva ('bald head' or 'skull'), which was used in the Vulgate Bible to translate the Aramaic place name Golgotha.