What does aneling mean?
Aneling is an archaic English noun denoting the act of anointing a person with oil, particularly within a religious or ceremonial setting. It was historically used for sacred rituals such as the anointing of the sick — what later tradition came to call extreme unction or the last rites — as well as the consecration of kings and priests. The word derives from the now-obscure verb 'anele,' meaning to anoint, and belongs to a stratum of older English vocabulary that has largely been displaced by Latinate alternatives like 'anointing' and 'unction.' Today aneling survives almost exclusively in historical writing, glossaries of obsolete terms, and discussions of medieval liturgy. Encountering it usually signals a text concerned with pre-modern religious practice. Though no longer in living use, it remains a useful marker of how English once named its most solemn rituals with native rather than borrowed vocabulary.
nounThe act of anointing someone, especially with oil in a religious or ceremonial context; unction.
- The act of anointing a person with oil, especially as part of a religious rite such as the sacrament of the sick or the coronation of a monarch.
"The dying king received the aneling that had been performed for monarchs before him."
"The priest performed the aneling quietly at the bedside of the gravely ill woman."
"Medieval chroniclers recorded the aneling of each new sovereign as an essential part of the coronation ceremony."
A plural is theoretically possible but essentially unattested in practice, since the word refers to a single ritual act per occasion.
"The manuscript catalogued the various anelings performed during Holy Week."
Before 'extreme unction' became the familiar term, English speakers called the last rites simply 'aneling' — a word so old and so rare that most dictionaries list it only as a historical curiosity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of aneling
Aneling comes from the Middle English verb 'anelen' (also spelled 'anele'), meaning to anoint, which itself descends from Old English forms connected with applying oil. The noun arose as the action noun of that verb, naming the ritual act of anointing. As 'anele' fell out of everyday use and was replaced by the Latinate 'anoint' (from Latin 'ungere' via Old French), aneling likewise faded into obsolescence, surviving mainly in historical and dialect records.
Related word forms
How aneling is actually used
Aneling is archaic and virtually confined to historical, ecclesiastical, or literary contexts; modern speakers would say 'anointing' or 'unction' instead. It carries solemn, ceremonial connotations.
Easily confused with aneling
Annealing is the industrial process of heating and slowly cooling metal or glass to toughen it, whereas aneling is the religious act of anointing with oil.