Advertisement

Origin and history of anoint

anoint(v.)

mid-14c., enointen, "pour oil upon, smear with ointment," from Old French enoint "smeared on," past participle of enoindre "smear on," from Latin inunguere "to anoint," from in- "in, into" (see in) + unguere "to smear" (see unguent (n.)).

Forms in a- by late 14c. Originally in reference to grease or oil smeared on for medicinal purposes; its use in the Coverdale Bible in reference to Christ (as in The Lord's Anointed; see chrism) has spiritualized the word. Related: Anointed; anointing (c. 1300 as a verbal noun).

also from mid-14c.

Entries linking to anoint

anointed(adj.)

late 14c., "smeared with oil," past-participle adjective from anoint (v.). Earlier was annoint (c. 1300), from Old French enoint, Latin inunctum. The noun meaning "a consecrated one" (as in Lord's Anointed) is recorded from 1520s.

chrism(n.)

"oil mingled with balm, a sacred ointment consecrated and used in Church rites," late Old English chrisma, from Church Latin chrisma, from Greek khrisma "an unguent, anointing, unction," from khriein "to anoint" (from PIE root *ghrei- "to rub"). Chrisom "baptismal robe," is a c. 1200 variant of this. Related: Chrismal; chrismatory.

Advertisement

More to explore

in
a Middle English merger of Old English in (prep.) "in, into, upon, on, at, among; about, during;" and Old English inne (adv.) "within, inside," from Proto-Germanic *in (source also of Old Frisian, Dutch, German, Gothic in, Old Norse i), from PIE root *en "in." The simpler form to
oil
late 12c., "olive oil," from Anglo-French and Old North French olie, from Old French oile, uile "oil" (12c., Modern French huile), from Latin oleum "oil, olive oil" (source of Spanish, Italian olio), from Greek elaion "olive tree," from elaia (see olive). Nearly all the European
embrocate
"moisten and rub (a bruised or injured part of the body) with a liquid substance," 1610s, from Medieval Latin embrocatus, past participle of embrocare, from Late Latin embrocha, from Greek embrokhe "lotion, fomentation," from embrekhein "to soak in, foment," from assimilated form
salve
"apply medicinal or sacramental ointment to," Middle English salven, from Old English sealfian "anoint (a wound) with salve...," from Proto-Germanic *salbojanan (source also of Dutch zalven, Old Frisian salva, German salben, Gothic salbon "to anoint...
smear
Middle English smeren, from Old English smerian, smierwan, smyrian "anoint or rub with ointment, oil, etc.," from Proto-Germanic...*smerwjan "to spread grease on" (source also of Old Norse smyrja "to anoint, rub with ointment," Danish smøre, Swedish smörja...Originally especially "to anoint," but also in Old English "overspread too thickly with something thick or sticky."...
unctuous
from Medieval Latin unctuosus "greasy," from Latin unctus "act of anointing," from past participle stem of unguere "to anoint...
confirm
Old French confermer (13c., Modern French confirmer) "strengthen, establish, consolidate; affirm by proof or evidence; anoint...
take
Middle English taken, from late Old English tacan "to grip, seize by force, lay hold of," from a Scandinavian source (such as Old Norse taka "take, grasp, lay hold," past tense tok, past participle tekinn; also compare Swedish ta, past participle tagit). This is reconstructed to
choose
Old English ceosan "choose, seek out, select from two or more; decide, test, taste, try; accept, approve" (class II strong verb; past tense ceas, past participle coren), from Proto-Germanic *keus- (source also of Old Frisian kiasa, Old Saxon kiosan, Dutch kiezen, Old High German
bless
Middle English blessen, from Old English bletsian, bledsian, Northumbrian bloedsian "to consecrate by a religious rite, make holy, give thanks," from Proto-Germanic *blodison "hallow with blood, mark with blood," from *blotham "blood" (see blood (n.)). Originally a blood sprinkli

Share anoint

Advertisement
Trending
Dictionary entries near anoint
Advertisement