What does anathematised mean?
Anathematised is the past tense and past participle of the verb anathematise, meaning to have solemnly cursed or denounced someone or something — most famously in the formal decrees of religious authorities. The word descends from Greek 'anathema', which originally meant a thing set up or devoted to a god, but came in Christian usage to signify a formal curse exiling a person from the community of the faithful. To be anathematised was therefore no ordinary insult: it was a public, binding act of condemnation, often accompanied by expulsion from the Church. In modern English the word survives mainly in historical, theological, and literary writing, where it conveys extreme, authoritative condemnation. Figuratively, it can describe any fierce denunciation, though its gravity keeps it rare in everyday speech. It carries strongly negative connotations and belongs to a formal register.
verb (past participle / past tense)Past tense and past participle of anathematise: to have cursed or denounced someone or something vehemently, especially in a formal or ecclesiastical decree.
- To have formally and solemnly cursed or denounced someone or something, especially by ecclesiastical authority.
- More broadly, to have vehemently condemned or reviled someone or something.
"The medieval council anathematised the heretic, formally expelling him from the Church."
"The Fourth Lateran Council anathematised several doctrines deemed heretical."
"In his memoir, he recalled being anathematised by his former colleagues after the scandal."
When the Church anathematised you in the Middle Ages, it wasn't just name-calling — it was a formal ritual consigning your soul to damnation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anathematised
Anathematised derives ultimately from Greek 'anathematizein', formed on 'anathema' ('a thing devoted', later 'a curse'), which passed into Latin and then into ecclesiastical Latin as the term for a formal ban of excommunication. English adopted the verb 'anathematise' around the early 17th century, drawing on this Latin tradition. Cognates include the noun 'anathema' itself, still used figuratively for anything intensely disliked.
Related word forms
How anathematised is actually used
Formal register; chiefly found in historical, religious, or literary contexts. The '-ise' spelling is British; American English typically uses 'anathematized' with '-ize'.
Easily confused with anathematised
Anathema is the noun denoting the curse or detested thing itself, while anathematised is the verb form describing the act of pronouncing such a curse.