creu

Creu is a term that appears in several Romance languages and has multiple uses, most notably in Catalan and Portuguese. In Catalan, creu is the noun for cross and is widely used in religious language and in toponymy. The singular form creu is used with the definite article as la creu (the cross), while the plural is les creus or creus depending on the construction. The word is commonly found in expressions referring to cruciform shapes or symbols and appears in place names in Catalan-speaking areas.

In Portuguese, creu is a verb form derived from crer (to believe) and is used in the pretérito perfeito (simple past). It marks the third-person singular subject, as in ele creu (he believed). This form is common in narrative or reported speech, and similar spellings may appear in older texts or varieties of the language.

Toponymy and surnames are additional areas of usage. In Catalan-speaking regions, creu or creus frequently appears in geographic names such as La Creu, indicating a cross-shaped monument, a hill, or a cruciform landmark. The word can also occur as a surname or as part of family names formed from local features or religious associations.

Etymology generally ties the Catalan creu to Latin crux (cross), while the Portuguese creu as a verb form comes from crer (to believe) or credere in Latin. Across its uses, creu remains a compact example of how a single spelling carries multiple meanings in related languages.