pax
UK[pæks]US[pæks]
n
a period of general peace, especially one imposed by a powerful state or authority.
n
(in the roman catholic church) a ceremonial kiss of peace, or a plaque bearing a representation of christ or a saint, used in its place.
Etymology
the word 'pax' is a direct borrowing from latin, where it means 'peace, a pact, or a treaty'. in latin, it is a third-declension feminine noun, derived from the proto-indo-european root pak- or pag-, meaning 'to fasten, to make firm, to agree'. this root is also the source of english words like 'pact' and 'peace' (via old french). the semantic journey is from the concrete idea of fastening or binding an agreement to the abstract concept of peace resulting from such a pact. in english, it retains its latin form and is often used in historical or formal contexts to denote a peace imposed by a dominant power, most famously in the term 'pax romana'.
Analysis
this word is a direct loanword from latin and is not productively segmented using english morphemes.
Examples
the emperor's victory ushered in a long period of pax throughout the region.
scholars often debate the true nature of the pax britannica in the 19th century.
during the mass, the priest passed the pax among the congregation.