Where does “antichrist” come from?
Antichrist comes from English anti- and Christ, where anti- derives from Ancient Greek ἀντί, itself from Proto-Indo-European h₂énti meaning "opposite" or "against."
antichrist (English): One who works against the teachings of Christ
Definitions
- One who works against the teachings of Christ
Ancestry of “antichrist”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | Antecrist | The Antichrist |
| 2 | Middle French | antecrist | — |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | Antichristus | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | Ἀντίχριστος | antichrist |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Χριστός | anointed; messiah; annointed, the annointed one,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | χρίω | to rub or smear (especially the body) with oil or unguents; to anoint |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrēy- | to smear; to paint, streak, smear |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰer- | to rub; to stroke; to grind |