croix de guerre: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “croix de guerre” mean?
A French military decoration awarded for bravery in combat, literally 'cross of war'.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A French military decoration awarded for bravery in combat, literally 'cross of war'.
While primarily a medal, the phrase can be used metonymically to refer to high-level bravery or distinguished military service recognized by France.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. British texts might be more likely to mention it in the context of WWI/WWII history of the Commonwealth armies, while American texts often reference it in biographies of soldiers who fought with French forces.
Connotations
Both share connotations of historical military honour, particularly from the World Wars.
Frequency
Frequency is equally low in both varieties, appearing primarily in historical or military contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “croix de guerre” in a Sentence
[Subject] was awarded the croix de guerre for [action/noun phrase].He received the croix de guerre with [palm/star].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “croix de guerre” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He was twice croix-de-guerred during the war.
- Several soldiers were honoured and croix de guerre'd for the raid.
American English
- The pilot was Croix de Guerred for his heroic actions.
- The division was famously croix de guerre'd for its defense.
adverb
British English
- This action was performed croix-de-guerre-worthy.
American English
- He fought croix de guerre-style.
adjective
British English
- The croix-de-guerre citation was read aloud.
- He was a croix de guerre holder.
American English
- His Croix de Guerre medal was displayed in the museum.
- She researched her grandfather's croix de guerre award.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in historical, military history, or biographical studies.
Everyday
Extremely rare, only in specific discussions about military history or family heirlooms.
Technical
Used in military awards/heraldry (phaleristics) and historical documentation.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “croix de guerre”
- Incorrect pronunciation (e.g., 'cro-ix' instead of 'krwah').
- Misspelling as 'croix de guere' or 'crois de guerre'.
- Using it as a common noun for any medal instead of the specific French award.
- Incorrect capitalisation (e.g., 'Croix De Guerre').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is often capitalised, especially when referring to the specific award, but not always. Both 'Croix de Guerre' and 'croix de guerre' are seen.
Yes, it has been awarded to many Allied soldiers from countries like the UK, US, and others who fought with distinction alongside French forces.
The Légion d'Honneur is a higher, more general order of merit for civil and military achievements. The croix de guerre is specifically a gallantry award for acts of bravery mentioned in dispatches in wartime.
The 'croix' is pronounced 'krwah' (with a silent 'x'), 'de' is 'duh', and 'guerre' is like 'gair' (UK) or 'ger' (US). So: 'krwah duh gair/ger'.
A French military decoration awarded for bravery in combat, literally 'cross of war'.
Croix de guerre is usually formal in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No specific idioms. The phrase itself functions as a fixed expression.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a brave knight carrying a cross (croix) to war (guerre). The cross becomes a medal for his bravery.
Conceptual Metaphor
HONOUR IS A PHYSICAL OBJECT (a cross/medal) awarded for BRAVERY IS A JOURNEY/FIGHT (war).
Practice
Quiz
What is the 'croix de guerre'?