chrisma

Forms

chrīsma n (genitive chrīsmatis); third declension^[1] Also spelled crisma and chrysma;^[2][3] medieval texts sometimes treat it as a feminine of the first declension.^[3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek χρῖσμα (khrîsma, “unguent, anointing”),^[1][5][6][7] from χρίω (khríō, “to anoint”),^[7][2] which goes back to Proto-Indo-European *gʰrey- (“to rub, smear”).^[1][7][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Tertullian (c. 160–220 AD) uses it in De baptismo for anointing.^[5][6][8]

Semantic evolution

Tertullian also uses it for the consecrated oil itself,^[8] and it is found in Prudentius and Augustine.^[5][9] By extension it meant the sacrament of confirmation and baptism.^[8][10]

In Medieval Latin it is above all the chrism, the holy ointment of oil and balsam that the bishop consecrated for baptism, confirmation, the consecration of bishops and the anointing of kings.^[3][4] It could also mean a medical ointment, and a spiritual gift.^[3] Old English borrowed it as chrisma,^[7] Old High German as krisamo,^[2] and it lives on in Italian cresima and French chrême.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian, of anointing at baptism.^[5][2]
• 348/49–c. 413 AD – Prudentius uses it.^[5][2]
• 779 – Alcuin writes of parishioners who come for the dedication of the holy chrism.^[4]
• late Old English – Borrowed as chrisma, the origin of English chrism.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Ecclesiastical Latin) An anointing, unction.^[5][6][11]
2. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Consecrated oil, chrism.^{[8][10][11][4]}
3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) The sacrament of confirmation; baptism.^[10][8]
4. (Medieval Latin) A medical ointment; a spiritual gift.^[3]

Related words

• English chrism

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d e Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b c d e Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
9. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
10. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
11. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson