croisée

Croisée is a French noun (feminine) and a past participle of croiser used as an adjective meaning cross-shaped or crossed. In architectural and art-historical contexts, croisée most often designates the crossing of the nave and transept in a church—the central intersection that organizes the building’s plan. The croisée is typically a focal point of spatial and structural design and may be reinforced by piers, a crossing tower, or a lantern, features that vary with architectural style and period. In many Gothic and Romanesque churches, the configuration and treatment of the croisée help define the interior rhythm and light.

Beyond ecclesiastical architecture, croisée can describe a cross-shaped or intersecting arrangement in other domains. It may appear in discussions of patterns, lattices, or lines that cross each other, as well as in decorative arts to indicate interlaced or cross-like motifs. The term is also encountered in toponymy, where La Croisée or Croisée functions as a place name component, signaling a crossroads or a site where paths converge.

In practice, croisée is often used in contrast to croisement, the noun more commonly denoting the act or result of crossing. Croisée emphasizes form or state—being cross-shaped or at a crossing—whereas croisement emphasizes the process or occurrence of crossing. The usage and nuance can vary by region and historical period.