Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words

calvary

noun cal·va·ry \ ˈkal-v(ə-)rē \

Definition of calvary

plural calvaries
1 :an open-air representation of the crucifixion of Jesus
2 :an experience of usually intense mental suffering

Explore M-W

cavalry
Do You Send in the ‘Cavalry’ or the ‘Calvary’?
knupfer-painting-solon-before-croesus
Forms of Government Quiz
alt-59e4fc1aaafd6
Trending: New Joe Ide Novel Causes 'Righteous' Spike
tycoon
17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Origin and Etymology of calvary

Calvary, the hill near Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

Calvary

geographical name Cal·va·ry \ ˈkal-v(ə-)rē \
variants: or Hebrew Golgotha play \ˈgäl-gə-thə, gäl-ˈgä-thə\

Definition of Calvary

place outside ancient Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified

Learn More about calvary

  1. Britannica English: Translation of calvary for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up calvary? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

chary

play

cautious about doing something

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. righteous We provide an assortment of definitions

  2. Kafkaesque 'A nightmarish quality'

  3. mike "microphone"

  4. moron “a very stupid person”

  5. terrorism “The use of violent acts to frighten"

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

calvary

Test Your Vocabulary

Forms of Government Quiz

  • knupfer-painting-solon-before-croesus
  • A gerontocracy is rule by:
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

alt-59e50f5a357b4
'Spox' May Go On The Record

From newsroom lingo to the mainstream

alt-59e506c5c02ae
C'mon, Of Course 'Myriad' Is a Noun

For a myriad of reasons

alt-59e12097b419d
'Gamut' and 'Gambit' (and 'Gauntlet' Too)

Know when to use (or run) each.

tycoon
17 English Words that Come From Japanese

Some borrowed words don't get returned

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

payday
How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless
Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals
Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

knupfer-painting-solon-before-croesus
Forms of Government Quiz

Name that government! Or something like that.

Take the quiz
rembrandt-painting-a-young-scholar-and-his-tutor
Original Meanings Quiz

A quiz for the pedantic and those annoyed by them!

Take the quiz
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

Take the quiz
Word Winder's CrossWinder
Word Winder's CrossWinder

A game of winding words.

Play the game