a member of a society professing esoteric religious doctrines, venerating the emblems of the rose and Cross as symbols of Christ's Resurrection and Redemption, and claiming various occult powers
adjective
2.
of, relating to, or designating the Rosicrucians or Rosicrucianism
Derived forms
Rosicrucianism (ˌRosiˈcrucianism)
noun
Word origin
C17: from Latin Rosae Crucis Rose of the Cross, translation of the German name Christian Rosenkreuz, supposed founder of the society in the 15th century
Rosicrucian in American English
(ˌroʊzəˈkruʃən; ˌ rɑzəˈkruʃən)
noun
1.
any of a number of persons in the 17th and 18th cent. who professed to be members of a secret society said to have various sorts of occult lore and power
2.
a member of any of several later groups with doctrines and practices said to be basedon those of these persons; esp., the Rosicrucian Order, or the Ancient Mystic Order Rosae Crucis (AMORC)
adjective
3.
of or characteristic of the Rosicrucians
Derived forms
Rosicrucianism (ˌRosiˈcrucianˌism)
noun
Word origin
Rosicruc- (< L rosa, a rose + crux, gen. crucis, a cross), Latinized form of the Ger name of the reputed founder, Christian Rosenkreuz + -ian