anathemas

Variant of anathema

anathema definition

anath·ema (ə nat̸h′ə mə)

noun pl. anathemas -·mas

  1. a thing or person accursed or damned
  2. a thing or person greatly detested
    1. a solemn ecclesiastical condemnation of a teaching judged to be gravely opposed to accepted church doctrine, or of the originators or supporters of such a teaching
    2. the excommunication often accompanying or following this condemnation

Etymology: LL(Ec) < Gr, thing devoted to evil; previously, anything devoted < anatithenai, to dedicate < ana-, up + tithenai, to place: see do

adjective

  1. greatly detested
  2. viewed as accursed or damned
  3. subjected to an ecclesiastical anathema

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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