anathema
/əˈnæθəmə/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.79 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
4
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A ban or curse pronounced with religious solemnity by ecclesiastical authority, often accompanied by excommunication; something denounced as accursed.
noun
Something which is vehemently disliked by somebody.
noun
Any person or thing anathematized, or cursed by ecclesiastical authority to unending punishment.
Example Sentences
- "Even three years ago, the thought of spending two hours, let alone a whole day, without my mobile would have been anathema."
- "The actor, who prizes mystery, hated being gossip fodder. “That was anathema to him,” said his sister Martha Fiennes, a filmmaker, “and he just hated the curiosity into his life.”"
- "To law enforcement officers injured in the Jan. 6 mayhem, as well as members of Congress and others present in the Capitol that day who feared for their lives, such adulation for convicted rioters is not only misguided but also anathema to a civilized society."
- "I trembled at his ringing wealth Of manifold anathemas […]"
- "That was a curse from which no flight was possible: the anathema of a man who had once known holiness."
- "“Assumptions are anathema to communication.” “You're anathema. Fine, all right, I messed up. I guess I'll go break her stupid heart since that's what you all seem to want.”"
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- Proto-Hellenic *aná Ancient Greek ᾰ̓νᾰ́ (ănắ) Ancient Greek ἀνα- (ana-) Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰédʰeh₁ti Ancient Greek τίθημι (títhēmi) Ancient Greek ἀνᾰτίθημῐ (anătíthēmĭ) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Hellenic *-mə Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek ἀνάθεμα (anáthema)bor. Late Latin anathemabor. English anathema Borrowed from Late Latin anathema (“curse, person cursed, offering”), itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἀνάθεμα (anáthema, “something dedicated, especially dedicated to eternal damnation”), from ἀνατίθημι (anatíthēmi, “to set upon, offer as a votive gift”), from ἀνά (aná, “upon”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put, place”). The Ancient Greek term was influenced by Hebrew חרם (herem), leading to the sense of "accursed," especially in Ecclesiastical writers.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: anathema, ἀνάθεμα