messiah

What it means

1. The one who is ordained by God to lead the people of Israel, believed by Christians and Muslims to be Jesus Christ.
2. broadlylifestyleA similar religious figure or awaited divine ruler, such as the Islamic Mahdi.

   1 more example

   The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe- a desolate, dry planet with vast deserts. Hidden away within the rocks of these deserts are a people known as the Fremen, who have long held a prophecy, that a man would come, a messiah, who would lead them to true freedom. The planet is Arrakis, also known as Dune.

   1984, 1:50 from the start, in Dune (Science Fiction), spoken by Princess Irulan, →OCLC

3. figurativelyAn extremely powerful or revered figure.

   Girlie, as far as you're concerned, I'm the messiah of the DMV. Now, get out of the car.

   1995, Amy Heckerling, Clueless, spoken by DMV tester (Ron Orbach)

   1 more example

   At its best, psychoanalysis is the classic therapeutic technique for exploring unconscious processes. At its less-than-best, it is a jargon-opacified oedipus-complicated, libido-theoretical, pseudo-scientific cult whose messiah is Sigmund Freud.

   1979 August 11, Lawrence Mass, “Psychiatry on Trial”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 4, page 8

In a sentence

The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe- a desolate, dry planet with vast deserts. Hidden away within the rocks of these deserts are a people known as the Fremen, who have long held a prophecy, that a man would come, a messiah, who would lead them to true freedom. The planet is Arrakis, also known as Dune.

1984, 1:50 from the start, in Dune (Science Fiction), spoken by Princess Irulan, →OCLC

Where it comes from

1. Aramaicܡ ܫ ܚ
2. Aramaicܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ (məšīḥā)
3. Hebrewמָשַׁח
4. Biblical Hebrewמָשִׁיחַ (māšîaḥ)
5. Ancient GreekΜεσσῑ́ᾱς (Messī́ās)
6. LatinMessīās
7. Middle EnglishMessyas
8. Englishmessiah

From Middle English Messyas, Messy, Messie, from Latin Messīās, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek Μεσσίας (Messías), from Aramaic ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ (məšīḥā), from Biblical Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (māšîaḥ, “anointed”). Doublet of Masih and Moshiach.