Carl Van Doren
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In Latin, crux referred literally to an instrument of torture, often a cross or stake, and figuratively to the torture and misery inflicted by means of such an instrument. Crux eventually developed the sense of "a puzzling or difficult problem"; that was the first meaning that was used when the word entered English in the early 18th century. Later, in the late 19th century, crux began to be used more specifically to refer to an essential point of a legal case that required resolution before the case as a whole could be resolved. Today, the verdict on crux is that it can be used to refer to any important part of a problem or argument, inside or outside of the courtroom.
Synonyms
Examples of crux in a Sentence
Armani Syed, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Narratively speaking, the story’s crux is an unlikely friendship.
—Longreads, 2 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crux 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crux.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Crux.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crux. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
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