Meaning & use
Saint Andrew's Cross
Last updated
Meanings
proper nounproper
A cross shaped like an X, linked to the apostle Saint Andrew and shown on the Scottish flag as a white cross on a blue background.
Grammar: Written with capital letters; sometimes shortened to Saint Andrew's cross or the saltire.
Patterns
- the Saint Andrew's Cross on a flag
The Saint Andrew's Cross appears in white on the Scottish flag.
Fans waved flags bearing the Saint Andrew's Cross at the match.
Part of the Union Jack is made up of the Saint Andrew's Cross.
proper nounproperBritish
An X-shaped warning sign placed at a level crossing where a road meets a railway.
Grammar: Used as a name for the sign; the capital letters are kept.
Patterns
- a Saint Andrew's Cross sign
A Saint Andrew's Cross marks the level crossing ahead.
The railway sign was shaped like a Saint Andrew's Cross.
Common combinations
- a white Saint Andrew's Cross
- The flag has a white Saint Andrew's Cross on blue.
- the Saint Andrew's Cross flag
- The Saint Andrew's Cross flag flew over the castle.
- shaped like a Saint Andrew's Cross
- The wooden braces were shaped like a Saint Andrew's Cross.
- Saint Andrew's Cross and Saint George's Cross
- The Union Jack combines Saint Andrew's Cross and Saint George's Cross.
Synonyms and how they differ
- saltire
- Saltire is the heraldic term for the same X-shaped cross, so it sounds more technical or formal.
- crux decussata
- Crux decussata is the Latin name for this cross and is used mostly in scholarly or church writing.
- X-shaped cross
- X-shaped cross describes the shape alone and does not name Saint Andrew or Scotland.
Word family
Commonly confused: Saint Andrew's Cross or Saint George's Cross?
Saint Andrew's Cross vs Saint George's Cross
Saint George's Cross is a red upright cross on white and represents England, whereas Saint Andrew's Cross is a white diagonal X on blue for Scotland.
Practice
Which country's flag shows Saint Andrew's Cross?
Choose one answer.
Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland, and the Scottish flag is a white diagonal cross on blue. England uses Saint George's Cross, and the others use different flags.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Saint Andrew's Cross”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.