Seattle Bellevue
Sign In

Maltese Cross

mal·​tese cross | mȯl-ˈtēz krȯs

noun

A shape that has four broad arms of equal length, sometimes having a V-shaped notch cut out of the ends

The Maltese cross is a commonly popular shape in Europe, named for the Knights of Malta, a group of knights during the Crusades who commonly wore the shape. The shape consists of four equal-length arms that have a V-shaped notch cut at the ends, with a single point at the middle where all four arms converge. It was first from other multi-pointed crosses in the 16th century and was adopted in several forms throughout the years by knights in Poland, Prussia, and Bavaria. The symbol is often associated with protection and is popular among firefighters throughout the world.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z