Meanings
verbanoint (third-person singular simple present anoints, present participle anointing, simple past and past participle anointed)
present singular third person anoints · participle present anointing · participle past anointed · past anointed · alternative nonstandard annoint
- transitiveTo smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance; also, to spread over, as oil.
And Fragrant Oils the ſtiffen'd Limbs anoint.
1697, Virgil, “The Sixth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 371, line 3151 more example
He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 9:6 - transitiveTo apply oil to or to pour oil upon, etc., as a sacred rite, especially for consecration.
Anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Kings 19:151 more example
Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his [Aaron's] head and anoint him.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 29:7Synonyms: salve
- figurativelytransitiveTo choose or nominate somebody for a leading or otherwise important position, especially formally or officially, or as an intended successor.
Unlike other previous Prelates, who were swiftly anointed bishops, Francis did not follow suit. Ocáriz remained a Monsignor. In the eyes of many observers, it was a demotion of Opus Dei.
2024 March 16, Antonia Cundy, “The Opus Dei diaries”, in FT Weekend, London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 18 - historicaltransitiveTo mark somebody as an official ruler, especially a king or queen, as a part of a religious ceremony.
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance; also, to spread over, as oil.
verbTo apply oil to or to pour oil upon, etc., as a sacred rite, especially for consecration.
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
verbadminister an oil or ointment to; often in a religious ceremony of blessing
Broader
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Frenchenoint
- Middle Englishenointen
- Englishanoint
From Middle English enointen, anointen, borrowed from Old French enoint, past participle of enoindre (“to anoint”). Doublet of inunct.
More words from Middle English, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek χρίω
- χρίω (khríō)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
Bulgarian намазвам, смазвам
- намазвам (namazvam)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- смазвам (smazvam)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- смазвам (smazvam)to apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Catalan ungir, ungir
- ungirto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- ungirto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- ungirto choose a leader
- ungirto mark somebody as an official ruler
Chinese Mandarin 塗油於 /涂油于, 涂油于
- 塗油於 /涂油于to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- 涂油于 (túyóuyú)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
Czech pomazat, pomazat
- pomazatto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- pomazatto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- jmenovatto choose a leader
- zvolitto choose a leader
Danish salve, salve
- salveto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- salveto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Dutch zalven, zalven
- zalvento smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- zalvento apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Esperanto olei
- oleito apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Finnish voidella, voidella
- voidellato smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- voidellato apply oil to or to pour oil upon
French oindre, enduire
- oindreto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- enduireto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- étalerto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- étendreto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- oindreto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
German ölen, schmieren
- ölento smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- schmierento smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- einreibento smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- ölento apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- salbento apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Greek χρίω, μυρώνω
- χρίω (chrío)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- μυρώνω (myróno)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- επαλείφω (epaleífo)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- χρίω (chrío)to apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Hebrew מָשַׁח
- מָשַׁח (masháẖ)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
Hungarian felken, felken
- felkento smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- felkento apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- felesketto mark somebody as an official ruler
Icelandic smyrja
- smyrjato smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
Irish ung, ung
- ungto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- ungto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Italian ungere, ungere
- ungereto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- ungereto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- oleareto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- oliareto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Latin ungō
- ungōto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
Māori pōrae, whakawahi
- pōraeto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- whakawahito apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- pōraeto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- whakawahito choose a leader
Persian اندودن
- اندودن (andudan)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
Portuguese ungir, untar
- ungirto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- untarto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- olearto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- ungirto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Russian сма́зывать, сма́зать
- сма́зывать (smázyvatʹ)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- сма́зать (smázatʹ)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- ма́зать (mázatʹ)to apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- пома́зывать (pomázyvatʹ)to apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- пома́зать (pomázatʹ)to apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Spanish ungir, ungir
- ungirto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- ungirto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- consagrarto choose a leader
- ungirto choose a leader
- consagrarto mark somebody as an official ruler
- ungirto mark somebody as an official ruler
Swedish smörja
- smörjato smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
Tagalog maghimo, himuan
- maghimoto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- himuanto smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- maghimoto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
- himuanto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Ukrainian мазати, змазувати
- мазати (mazaty)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- змазувати (zmazuvaty)to smear or rub over with oil or an unctuous substance
- помазати (pomazaty)to apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Welsh iro
- iroto apply oil to or to pour oil upon
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with anoint
pointjointappointpointedisappointdisjointmidpointointanchor pointarointcase in pointentry pointkindling pointKing's Pointmount pointNorris PointSchelling pointSylvian pointWoody Point
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
anoint. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anoint
MLA
“anoint.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anoint. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “anoint,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/anoint.
Source: anoint on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.