Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Nearby Words

iron cross

 - 3 dictionary results

Iron Cross

 
Use iron cross in a Sentence
–noun
1. a German medal awarded for outstanding bravery or service during wartime.
2. (lowercase) Gymnastics. an upright, crosslike position held between the rings, with the arms fully extended laterally and the legs held together and pointed downward.
Origin:
1870–75
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To iron cross
Word Origin & History

Iron Cross 
from Ger. das eiserne kreuz, instituted by Frederick Wilhelm III of Prussia, originally for distinguished military service in the wars against Napoleon.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Encyclopedia

Iron Cross

Prussian military decoration instituted in 1813 by Frederick William III for distinguished service in the Prussian War of Liberation. Use of the decoration was revived by William I for the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, recreated in 1914 for World War I, and last revived by Adolf Hitler on Sept. 1, 1939, the same day that German forces invaded Poland.

Learn more about Iron Cross with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see iron cross on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way