anathema

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- Proto-Hellenic *aná Ancient Greek ᾰ̓νᾰ́ (ănắ) Ancient Greek ἀνα- (ana-) Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰédʰeh₁ti Ancient Greek τίθημι (títhēmi) Ancient Greek ἀνᾰτίθημῐ (anătíthēmĭ) Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Ancient Greek -μᾰ (-mă) Ancient Greek ἀνάθεμα (anáthema)bor. Late Latin anathemabor. English anathema Borrowed from Late Latin anathema (“curse, person cursed, offering”), itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἀνάθεμα (anáthema, “something dedicated, especially dedicated to eternal damnation”), from ἀνατίθημι (anatíthēmi, “to set upon, offer as a votive gift”), from ἀνά (aná, “upon”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put, place”). The Ancient Greek term was influenced by Hebrew חרם (herem), leading to the sense of "accursed," especially in Ecclesiastical writers.

1. A ban or curse pronounced with religious solemnity by ecclesiastical authority, often accompanied by excommunication; something denounced as accursed.
2. Something which is vehemently disliked by somebody.

   “Even three years ago, the thought of spending two hours, let alone a whole day, without my mobile would have been anathema.”

   “The actor, who prizes mystery, hated being gossip fodder. “That was anathema to him,” said his sister Martha Fiennes, a filmmaker, “and he just hated the curiosity into his life.””

3. An imprecation; a curse; a malediction.

   “I trembled at his ringing wealth Of manifold anathemas […]”

   “That was a curse from which no flight was possible: the anathema of a man who had once known holiness.”

4. Any person or thing anathematized, or cursed by ecclesiastical authority to unending punishment.

   “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.”

   “Ἆνάθεμα, accurẛed, חרם, which the Septuagint renders Anathema, ẛignifies Perẛons or Things devoted to Deẛtruction and Extermination. The Jewiẛh Nation were now an Anathema, deẛtin'd to Deẛtruction. St. Paul to expreẛs his Affection to them, ẛays, he could wiẛh to ẛave them from it, to become an Anathema and be deẛtroy'd himẛelf.”