chrême

Forms

chrême m (plural chrêmes)^[1] Old French cresme, once crisme (1215); the learned spelling chresme dates from 1541.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French cresme, inherited from Late Latin chrisma (“anointing after baptism, consecrated oil”),^[2][3][4][5] from Ancient Greek χρῖσμα (khrîsma, “ointment, anointing”), from χρίω (khríō, “to anoint”).^[1][3][6] The Old French ⟨e⟩ requires a short ⟨i⟩ in the Christian Latin word, not the long vowel of the Greek.^[2][3] The spelling with ⟨ch⟩ is a learned remodelling after the Latin, first found in Calvin in 1541.^[2][3] Rey calls the Greek verb of obscure origin; several of its derivatives spread through Christian Latin, among them the sources of chrétien and Christ.^[3]

Cognate with Italian cresima.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as cresme in Wace's Vie de Sainte Marguerite (1130–1140), meaning the consecrated oil used in anointing.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its liturgical meaning, the oil mixed with balm used for anointing in certain sacraments and blessings, mostly in the phrase le saint chrême.^[3][2] Littré records the phrase renier chrême et baptême, said of something that would try anyone's patience.^[6] Its derivatives are strictly technical: chrémeau (about 1175), the cap put on a child after baptism, and chrématisé “consecrated with chrism” (1913).^[3][2]

Timeline

• 1130–1140 – Cresme in Wace's Vie de Sainte Marguerite.^[2]
• c. 1175 – The derivative chrémeau is recorded.^[3]
• 1215 – The isolated form crisme.^[2]
• 1541 – Calvin writes chresme.^[2][3]
• 1913 – Barrès uses chrématisé.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. chrism: consecrated oil, mixed with balm, used for anointing in some sacraments and ceremonies of the Catholic and Orthodox churches, usually le saint chrême.^[7][8][2]

Related words

• chrétien
• Christ

Usage notes

Chrême is a homophone of crème.^[7][9]

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 Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 653b
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
9. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)