ankh

IPA/æŋk/
KK[ˈænk]IPA/ɑːŋk/

ankh — noun

  • ankhsingular
  • ankhsplural

1. a shape from ancient Egypt that looks like the letter T with a small oval ring a

1.nounC2
Definition

a shape from ancient Egypt that looks like the letter T with a small oval ring attached on top; for the Egyptians it meant living, breath, and the soul that goes on after death. It appears on tomb walls, in carvings of gods and queens, and is sometimes worn today as a piece of jewellery.

Example

Tutankhamun is shown on his coffin holding an ankh in each hand.

concrete usage: holding an ankh as a religious symbol

The museum guide pointed to a small ankh carved into the king's stone throne.

common collocation: an ankh carved into [object]

Common collocations
  • wear an ankh
  • carved ankh
  • silver ankh
  • hold an ankh
  • ankh pendant
  • ankh tattoo
Synonyms
  • crux ansata

    the Latin scholarly name, used in art history and museum labels

  • key of life

    popular nickname, often seen in jewellery and new-age writing

Grammar Patterns

an ankh

the ankh

Usage Note

Almost always preceded by 'an' or 'the' and often paired with verbs of carving, holding, wearing, or drawing. Common in writing about ancient Egypt, museums, tattoos, and goth or new-age fashion.

Common Mistakes

She wore a ankh pendant.
She wore an ankh pendant.
'ankh' starts with a vowel sound, so use 'an', not 'a'.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three names point to the same hieroglyph, but the choice of word signals where the speaker is standing. 'Ankh' is the everyday English word and what most readers will recognise; it works in textbooks, museum labels, news articles about Egyptian exhibitions, and casual talk about jewellery or tattoos. 'Crux ansata' is Latin and feels scholarly; you meet it in art history papers, older European writings, and formal catalogues, where the writer wants a neutral, technical label. 'Key of life' is a nickname that became popular through new-age, esoteric, and jewellery contexts, and it gently shifts the focus from the symbol's shape to its spiritual meaning. So a Cairo museum guide says 'ankh', a 19th-century French scholar writes 'crux ansata', and an online jewellery shop sells a 'key of life' pendant.

ankh ↗crux ansatakey of life

Etymology

Ancient EgyptianEnglish

Borrowed in the 19th century from Ancient Egyptian 'ꜥnḫ', meaning 'life' or 'to live'. The hieroglyph itself shows a looped cross and was read with the same sound. English took the word in through Egyptology, the new field that grew after Napoleon's expedition to Egypt and the deciphering of the Rosetta Stone, when scholars needed names for the symbols they were now able to read.