Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top, especially as used in ancient Egypt as a symbol of life.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In Egyptian art, the emblem of enduring life, or symbol of generation, generally represented as held in the hand of a deity, and often conferred upon royal favorites. It is the crux ansata (which see, under crux).

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Egypt. Archæol.) A tau cross with a loop at the top, used as an attribute or sacred emblem, symbolizing generation or enduring life. Called also crux ansata.
  • noun an amulet or piece of jewelry shaped like an ankh{1}.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A cross shaped like a T with a loop at the top, the Egyptian hieroglyph representing the Egyptian triliteral ˁ-n-ḫ ("eternal life") and often used as an amulet or charm for this concept.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Egyptian ‘nḫ, life.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Egyptian

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Examples

  • The Egyptian symbol of the ankh is a knot, which represents life.

    Donna Henes: Connecting To The World Wide Web Of Life Donna Henes 2011

  • The Egyptian symbol of the ankh is a knot, which represents life.

    Donna Henes: Connecting To The World Wide Web Of Life Donna Henes 2011

  • At my first duty station, I had the Egyptian symbol for eternal life, called an ankh, tattooed on the back of my left shoulder.

    I’m Still Standing SHOSHANA JOHNSON 2010

  • You know im a pisces like the queen! that's my girl, Ms. Badu … love the song! it might have been two years since the last album, but it seemed like eternity. the ankh is a symbol for eternal life …

    Bossip thatsmybiz1 2010

  • Also I think that maybe since the ankh is a symbol of female fertility and the statue had an ankh that once the statue is destroyed like we know happens and only a four-toed foot remains that causes the deaths during childbirth.

    Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch 2009

  • The ankh is the Egyptian symbol for eternal life and was the necklace Amy took off Paul.

    Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch 2009

  • These were now scattered at random, but my trained eye immediately fell on an "ankh" sign shaped from lapis and a tiny turquoise chick, which represented the sound "u" or "w."

    The Curse of the Pharaohs Peters, Elizabeth, 1927- 1981

  • Summer’s dad had said the ankh was an Egyptian life symbol that kept away bad luck.

    THE FORBIDDEN GAME L.J. SMITH 2010

  • Summer’s dad had said the ankh was an Egyptian life symbol that kept away bad luck.

    THE FORBIDDEN GAME L.J. SMITH 2010

  • He is ram-headed, and holds in his hand the "ankh," or emblem of life. 1 Another new acquaintance is

    A Thousand Miles Up the Nile 1891

Comments

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  • "'Sure,' said Hardin. He had a sudden thought. 'Does Biggie still wear the ankh?'

    'The what?'

    'The ankh.' He sketched it on the back of the menu.

    'Yeah, he still wears that thing. Didn't know it had a name. It should be valuable.'"

    - 'Windfall', Desmond Bagley.

    January 6, 2008

  • An Egyptian religious device, rather like a cross, but with a loop top. Unicode character U2625 doesn't render on my browser.

    June 20, 2008