English
chrism
Chrism comes from Ecclesiastical Latin chrisma ‘anointing, unction’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *gʰrey(H)- ‘to smear, strike’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰrey(H)-‘to smear, strike’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχρίωkhríō‘anoint’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEχρῖσμαkhrîsma‘anointing”, “unction’
- Ecclesiastical Latinc. 200–1500chrisma‘anointing, unction’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500crisma
- Old Englishc. 450–1150same form
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500crisme
- Englishearliest quotation 1958chrism
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰrey(H)-‘to smear, strike’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχρίωkhríō‘anoint’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEχρῖσμαkhrîsma‘anointing”, “unction’
- Ecclesiastical Latinc. 200–1500chrisma‘anointing, unction’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500crisma
- Old Englishc. 450–1150same form
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500crisme
- Englishearliest quotation 1958chrism
Earliest quotation: 1958, Anthony Burgess, The Enemy in the Blanket (The Malayan Trilogy): “A reinforcement of fresh troops staggered in, one man…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- ‘to rub’
grand, greedy, grill, growl, grit, yearn, charismatic, grout, grime, yar, chromatic, grimace, grisly, exhort, ochre, grist, 16 more
Today it means
noun A mixture of oil and balm, consecrated for use as an anointing fluid in certain Christian ceremonies, especially confirmation.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰrey(H)- / chrism