Anoint

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /əˈnɔɪnt/

Definitions

1. To apply oil or other substance ceremonially or sacredly to someone's body, or to choose someone for a particular role or position
2. To apply liquid or fragrant substance onto a person or object in a ritual, ceremonial, or symbolic manner, often as a sign of blessing or consecration
3. To ceremonially smear or rub oil onto a person or object as part of a religious or formal ritual ; to select someone for a special position or duty by official or symbolic means

Etymology: Anoint is a word whose ancient ritual sense has survived almost unchanged, and its oldest form was a sealed-off piece of Latin. The English verb came into Middle English as "enointen" or "anointen," borrowed from Old French "enoint," the past participle of "enoindre," meaning "to anoint." Old French built that verb from the Latin "inungere," "to smear on," from "in," "on," plus "ungere," "to smear with oil or ointment." Ointment and unguent share that same Latin ancestor. English also kept a second, more physical cousin. "Inunct," meaning to rub in an ointment, entered the language directly from Latin, so the two words are doublets: one came through French, the other straight from Latin, and both trace back to the same act of greasing something.

Synonyms: consecrate, bless, ordain, dedicate, smear

Antonyms: defile, desecrate, curse, invalidate, disgrace