Word of the Day - Crux

Crux
[Noun]

PRONUNCIATION:
(KROO-seez)

MEANING:
1. A vital, basic, decisive, or pivotal point (or feature).
2. Something that torments by its puzzling nature; a perplexing difficulty.

ETYMOLOGY:
1814, "cross," from Latin crux "cross." Figurative use for "a central difficulty," is older, from 1718; perhaps from Latin crux interpretum "a point in a text that is impossible to interpret," in which the literal sense is something like "crossroads of interpreters." Extended sense of "central point" is from 1888.

QUOTE WITH THE WORD:
"When a thing is said to be not worth refuting you may be sure that either it is flagrantly stupid - in which case all comment is superfluous - or it is something formidable, the very crux of the problem." - Miguel de Unamuno

*Whoever can come up with the best sentence or poem using the word of the day wins :)
Please post it in this thread.

Some dictionaries do indeed state the pronunciation is KRUX. Weird.

I like this word. I have also always said it KRUX. We should find some weird words that are absolutely non-phonetic.

Crux of the Spirit

The crux of angels wings are their pinions
They aid the heavenly creatures in flight
In the realm of celestial dominions
Faith propels these beings toward the light

The crux of any day is midnight
Just a few hours after the sun has set
Hopefully we await the return of light
For a shadow cast is only a silhouette

The crux of divine love is sacrifice
The forgiveness we are required to share
It will lead the willing to paradise
All anyone possibly could need shall be there

The crux of receiving is in giving
The crux of the spirit is in living

I love the sound of this word! It's sharp.

I keep getting the image of Harry Potter though, Horocrux.

Hehehe, HP.

Mike's the winner!