anoint

anoint

transitive verb \ə-ˈnȯint\

Definition of ANOINT

1

: to smear or rub with oil or an oily substance

2

a : to apply oil to as a sacred rite especially for consecration

b : to choose by or as if by divine election; also : to designate as if by a ritual anointment <critics anointed the author as the bright new talent>

— anoint·er noun

— anoint·ment \-mənt\ noun

Examples of ANOINT

1. The magazine anointed her the most popular actress of the year.
2. <anoint the wound with antiseptic to prevent infection>

Origin of ANOINT

Middle English, from Anglo-French enoint, past participle of enoindre, from Latin inunguere, from in- + unguere to smear — more at ointment

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to ANOINT

Synonyms

smear, bedaub, besmear, daub

Related Words

coat, paint, plaster; grease, oil; gum, lard, pitch, tar; befoul, begrime, bemire, besmirch, blacken, dirty, foul, gaum [dialect], grime, mire, muck, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully

Rhymes with ANOINT

adjoint, appoint, aroint, ballpoint, bluepoint, blue point, break point, butt joint, checkpoint, choke point, clip joint, conjoint, dew point, disjoint, drypoint, end point, fixed-point, flash point, game point, grade point, gunpoint, High Point, hinge joint, hip joint, ice point, juke joint, knifepoint, lap joint, match point, midpoint, near point, nonpoint, outpoint, pen point, pinpoint, pourpoint, price point, seal point, set point, standpoint, strongpoint, tuck-point, viewpoint, waypoint