Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for anathema

anathema

[ uh-nath-uh-muh ]

noun

, plural a·nath·e·mas.
  1. a person or thing detested or loathed:

    That subject is anathema to him.

  2. a person or thing accursed or consigned to damnation or destruction.
  3. a formal ecclesiastical curse involving excommunication.
  4. any imprecation of divine punishment.
  5. a curse; execration.


anathema

/ əˈnæθəmə /

noun

  1. a detested person or thing

    he is anathema to me

  2. a formal ecclesiastical curse of excommunication or a formal denunciation of a doctrine
  3. the person or thing so cursed
  4. a strong curse; imprecation
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of anathema1

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin, from Greek: “a thing accursed, devoted to evil,” originally “devoted,” from ana(ti)thé(nai) “to set up” + -ma, noun suffix
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of anathema1

C16: via Church Latin from Greek: something accursed, dedicated (to evil), from anatithenai to dedicate, from ana- + tithenai to set
Discover More

Example Sentences

After a few experiments I learned that I could skip those movies, and Tyler Perry was anathema in my book.

American politics with its razzmatazz and movie stars were an anathema.

In his opinion, the “path to citizenship” for immigrants, which is anathema to many conservatives, is absolutely essential.

The occasional yellow or red was acceptable, but the suggestion of a blue dress was met with distress, and brown was anathema.

Government regulations were not anathema to the market but requisite.

He breathed fierce and honest anathema on the heads of the bowelless fiends who had abandoned the babe to its doom.

Every word she breathed, every anathema she denounced, seemed urged by the quick revenge of Duke Wharton!

Shrieking inarticulate anathema, he rushed downstairs, the man in the green baize apron following at his heels.

He waited until he was old and cold to hurl anathema against the human passions.

The anathema of the good bishop is pitched in many keys and sounds, like the collected utterances of many throats.

Advertisement

Related Words

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


anatexisanathematic