ANATHEMA

Meaning

A ban or curse pronounced with religious solemnity by ecclesiastical authority, often accompanied by excommunication; something denounced as accursed.

Etymology

Origin: Latin

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.

Synonyms & Antonyms

NYT Puzzle Appearances

No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2019.