pax

noun \ ˈpaks , ˈpäks \

Definition of pax

1 : a tablet decorated with a sacred figure (as of Christ) and sometimes ceremonially kissed by participants at mass

2 : the kiss of peace in the Mass

3 : peace; especially, capitalized : a period of general stability in international affairs under the influence of dominant military power —usually used in combination with a latinized name

Pax Americana

Recent Examples of pax from the Web

PAX attendees will have the opportunity to play these games and chat up the people who made them.

— gus mastrapa, WIRED, "Penny Arcade Hand-Picks 10 Indie Games For PAX," 15 July 2010
TSA screened a record-setting 17,089,533 aviation pax & crew – busiest week in TSA history.

— bart jansen, USA TODAY, "TSA Precheck eclipses 5 million members," 5 July 2017
Pax, the eponymous fox of Sara Pennypacker’s new novel, is built on the model of Hughes’s cub, half wild and half domesticated, a galvanic presence fit to join the ranks of fiction’s great foxes.

— katherine rundell, New York Times, "‘Pax,’ by Sara Pennypacker," 12 Feb. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pax.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.