rood.

A large crucifix, especially one placed at the entrance to a church's choir or chancel.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• carved rood
• rood screen
• rood beam

On the page

The rood hung above the screen, its painted face almost erased.

Restorers found gilding beneath the rood's blackened surface.

As the procession passed, she looked up at the rood rather than at the coffin.

Usage notes

Primary category: gothic. Historical church term; the unrelated land-measure sense is not the focus here. Plural roods.