Anointers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who applies oil or ointment in a ceremonial or religious context; someone designated to bless or consecrate by anointing; an individual who chooses or appoints others to positions of authority or significance in a divine or sacred manner
2. An individual involved in the act of applying a sacred substance during rituals; a figure who performs blessings or consecrations through the application of oils; a person with the authority to select and empower others in a spiritual or ceremonial setting
3. One who engages in the practice of ceremonial anointing for spiritual purposes; a participant in religious rites involving the application of oils; a selector or installer of individuals into sacred roles or offices through the act of anointing

Etymology: "Anointers" is the plural of "anointer," a straightforward formation: the verb "anoint" with the agent suffix "-er," meaning one who anoints, or in this case, one who applies oil. The suffix traces back a long way. It descends from a Proto-Indo-European root, passed through Proto-Italic and Latin "-arius," which denoted a person connected with a particular activity, and reached Old English as "-ere," the ancestor of the modern "-er" found in countless agent nouns like "baker" or "writer." The verb "anoint" is the more interesting part of the story. It came into English through Old French "enoint," the past participle of "enoindre," from Latin "inungere," meaning "to smear on" or "to rub in," built from "in-" and "ungere," "to anoint." The Latin root also gave English "unguent," a word for a soothing ointment, which shows how closely the ideas of smearing oil and healing or consecration were tied together.

Synonyms: applicators