Anathema
noun /əˈnæθ.ɪ.mə/ — Something greatly detested; a formal ecclesiastical curse.
Definition
A formal ecclesiastical curse pronouncing excommunication or condemnation; also, anything or anyone greatly detested or loathed. To call something anathema is to declare it the object of intense collective revulsion — something that must be excluded.
Beyond the definition
Anathema is the formal version of disgust — institutionalized rejection, the community declaring something outside the bounds of belonging. The word carries centuries of the Church's power to exclude.
Origin & history
From Greek 'anathema' (a thing devoted to evil, a curse); from 'ana-' (up) + 'tithenai' (to place). Something 'placed up' for divine condemnation.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The Council's anathemas against heresy were meant to have cosmic force — to exclude from heaven, not just from the congregation.
His name had become anathema in the industry — the thing no one said, the person no one hired.
She found the very idea of compromise anathema — not from stubbornness but from genuine moral clarity.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Anathema” when the meaning fits your context: A formal ecclesiastical curse pronouncing excommunication or condemnation; also, anything or anyone greatly detested or loathed. To call something anathema is to declare it the object of intense collective revulsion — something that must be excluded.
Synonyms
curse, imprecation, malediction, condemnation
Antonyms
blessing, benediction, welcome
Related words
Anathema vs abomination
Anathema refers to something strictly forbidden or formally cursed by a group. Abomination is a broader term for anything that is detestable, shameful, or morally repulsive.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Total Absence of Belonging
An adult sits alone in a vast, empty room with minimalist, stark furniture.
The absolute isolation of the person in a room defined by absence symbolizes the state of being excluded. It illustrates the concept of intense collective revulsion, where something is declared unacceptable and moved into the void.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Anathema" mean?
Anathema is noun meaning: Something greatly detested; a formal ecclesiastical curse.. A formal ecclesiastical curse pronouncing excommunication or condemnation; also, anything or anyone greatly detested or loathed. To call something anathema is to declare it the object of intense collective revulsion — something that must be excluded.
Where does the word "Anathema" come from?
From Greek 'anathema' (a thing devoted to evil, a curse); from 'ana-' (up) + 'tithenai' (to place). Something 'placed up' for divine condemnation.