crusade
crusade Lexical Profile
crusade Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A vigorous, determined, and sustained campaign or movement undertaken for a political, social, or moral cause.
"The consumer advocate launched a lifelong crusade to improve safety standards in public transportation."
Any of the medieval military expeditions made by European Christians in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries to recover the Holy Land from Muslim rule.
"Our history seminar examined how trade routes across the Mediterranean shifted following the First Crusade."
• verb
To lead or take part in a vigorous, determined campaign for a social, political, or moral cause.
"For decades, the local journalists crusaded against municipal corruption and advocated for open-records laws."
Word Nuance & Usage
When capitalized as 'Crusades', the term specifically refers to the medieval European military expeditions; in lowercase, it denotes any vigorous, determined campaign for a political, social, or moral cause, though using it in cross-cultural or geopolitical contexts can carry sensitive religious connotations.
• Rhymes for crusade
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the 16th century from French 'croisade' and Spanish 'cruzada', both ultimately derived from Latin 'crux' (meaning 'cross'), referring to the cloth cross worn as a badge by medieval expeditioners.