noun

crosier

KROH-zhuh

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Crosier (noun) means a hooked or cross-topped staff carried by a bishop, abbot or archbishop as a mark of office. Example: “The bishop walked down the aisle holding his crosier.”

noun

A hooked or cross-topped staff carried by a bishop, abbot or archbishop as a mark of office.

"The bishop walked down the aisle holding his crosier."

"The cathedral's treasury displays a silver crosier from the fifteenth century."

"A new abbot is handed a crosier as part of the installation service."

botany A young fern frond that is still tightly coiled before it unrolls.

"The crosiers along the woodland path were just starting to uncurl."

"She cooked the freshly picked crosiers as a spring vegetable."

"Each crosier sat coiled at the tip of the fern like a small green spring."

How to use crosier

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA crosier is the hooked staff a bishop carries, and also the name for a young, still-curled fern frond.

When to use it

Crozier is simply an alternative spelling of the same word, not a different term.

Memory tip

If you see crozier in a text, it is the same word as crosier, just spelled differently.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

crozier →

Common pairings

carry a crosier an ornate crosier the bishop's crosier unfurling crosiers

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “crosier” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The bishop walked down the aisle holding his _____.

Etymology

Crosier comes from Middle English, where it named the person who carried the staff rather than the staff itself. The word grew out of two Old French terms, one for a bearer of a cross and one meaning to do with a cross, and both trace back to the Latin word for cross, crux.

Origin: Old French

Synonyms

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fiddlehead crozier

Related words

cross Crozier

Rhymes for crosier

bier tier pier crier skier trier Meier Grier Drier Xavier copier vizier

See all rhymes for crosier →

Frequently asked questions

What is a crosier?

It is the ceremonial staff, often shaped like a shepherd's crook or topped with a cross, that a bishop, abbot or archbishop carries as a sign of their office.

Why does a bishop carry a crosier shaped like a crook?

The crook shape echoes a shepherd's staff, reflecting the idea of the bishop as a shepherd guiding their congregation.

What does crosier mean in botany?

It describes a young fern frond while it is still curled up before opening, also called a fiddlehead.

What is the meaning of crosier?

"crosier" (noun) means a hooked or cross-topped staff carried by a bishop, abbot or archbishop as a mark of office.

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