ankh
English · Français · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
ankh
- /æŋk/ UK
- /ɑ(ː)ŋk/ US
Rhymes with -æŋk, -ɑːŋk
Where it comes from
From Egyptian anx-Z1 (ꜥnḫ, “life, to live, symbol for life”).
noun ankhs · onch
-
A cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top, the Egyptian hieroglyph representing the Egyptian triliteral ꜥnḫ (“life”) and often used as an amulet or charm for this concept.
On temple wall paintings, the ankh is often seen being carried by gods who hold it up to the nose of the pharaoh. This gesture symbolizes the offering of the "breath of life" or eternity. Sometimes the pharaoh is also depicted with a stream of water in the form of ankhs being poured over him during
Similar: ansate cross, crux ansata, Egyptian cross, tau
- A tau cross.
Translations
Talk about this word "ankh." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ankh. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. ankh. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ankh "ankh." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ankh.Cite this
@misc{ankh_2026,
title = {ankh},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ankh},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
