messianic

Etymology

It is probably from German messianisch (1755), with -ic in place of the German suffix -isch;^[2] the German adjective is from New Latin Messianus (1645 or earlier), formed from Messīās (“Messiah”) and -ānus.^[2] The Oxford Dictionary of English, the Shorter Oxford and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate instead derive it from French messianique, from Messie (“Messiah”) on the pattern of rabbinique (“rabbinical”),^[3][4][5] and the American Heritage Dictionary and Etymonline from New Latin messīānicus;^[6][7] the OED dates the French word only to 1831 and the Latin one to 1863 or earlier.^[2] Messiah goes back through Ancient Greek Μεσσίας (Messías) and Aramaic to Biblical Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (māšîaḥ, “anointed”).^[2][6][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of or relating to the Messiah: about 1794, in Coleridge's Marginalia.^[2][8] The revised OED antedates the 1989 edition, which gave "before 1834",^[9] and Etymonline's 1831.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The adjective first referred to the Messiah awaited by the Jews and to Jesus as the Messiah, and to the hope that the Messiah would come soon.^[2][8][10] From 1914 it was also used, with a capital, of Jews who believe in Jesus but keep their Jewish identity, and of their congregations.^[2] In the 20th century it spread to any leader who promises deliverance or an ideal age,^[10][8] and after 1938 to zeal and fervour like a messiah's;^[2] Merriam-Webster's Collegiate describes this as idealism with an aggressive crusading spirit.^[5] Anthropologists also apply it to religious movements whose prophet promises the salvation of a native people and the destruction of foreign influence.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 1794 – of or relating to the Messiah.^[2][8]
• 1914 – of Jews who believe in Jesus as the Messiah, or their churches.^[2]
• 1938 – zealous and fervent, like a messiah.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (often capitalized) Of or relating to the Messiah awaited by the Jews, or the age of peace he is expected to bring.^[8][10][2]
2. (often capitalized) Of or relating to Jesus as the Messiah, or the salvation believed to come through him.^[8][10]
3. Of or relating to a messiah, a leader who promises deliverance or an ideal age: the messianic promises of the rebel leader.^[10][8][11]
4. Marked by the zeal and fervour of a messiah; passionately idealistic: She spoke of the new technology with messianic enthusiasm.^[2][5]
5. Of or relating to a nativistic religious movement whose prophet promises salvation for the native people and the end of foreign influence.^[8]
6. (capitalized) Of or being Jews who believe in Jesus as the Messiah while keeping their Jewish identity, or their congregations.^[2][1]

Word family

• messianically

Related words

• messianism
• messiah

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Stevenson, Angus, ed. (2010), Oxford Dictionary of English, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (online 2024), 5th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
9. ^ Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
10. ^ a b c d e Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
11. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin