christ

IPA/kraɪst/
KK[krˈaɪst]IPA/kraɪst/

christ — noun

1. in Christianity, the title given to Jesus of Nazareth, who believers worship as

1.nounB1
Definition

in Christianity, the title given to Jesus of Nazareth, who believers worship as God's son and whose life and teachings form the foundation of the Christian faith

Example

Every Sunday, the Okonkwo family reads stories about Christ's life.

collocation: stories about Christ's life

Believers all over the world study the teachings of Christ.

collocation: teachings of Christ

Common collocations
  • follow Christ
  • believe in Christ
  • worship Christ
  • Christ's teachings
  • life of Christ
  • body of Christ
  • Christ the King
  • Christ the Redeemer
Synonyms
  • Jesus

    the personal name, while Christ is a title meaning 'anointed one'; often used together as 'Jesus Christ'

  • Messiah

    the Hebrew-derived equivalent of Christ, used more in Jewish contexts to refer to a promised deliverer

  • Saviour

    emphasises Christ's role in saving people from sin, used mainly in devotional or theological language

Usage Note

Christ is always capitalized in English. It functions as both a title and part of the name 'Jesus Christ'. In Christian contexts, it can appear alone ('follow Christ'), with the personal name ('Jesus Christ'), or in titles ('Christ the King').

Common Mistakes

She is a Christ who goes to church every week.
She is a Christian who goes to church every week.
Christ is the title for Jesus; a follower is called a Christian.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Christ, Jesus, Messiah, and Saviour all refer to the same figure but differ in emphasis and context. Christ is a title from the Greek Christos, meaning 'anointed one', and is the most common term in Christian worship and general English usage ('the teachings of Christ'). Jesus is the personal name of the historical figure from Nazareth, and is used when referring to his human life and actions ('Jesus healed the sick'). Messiah comes from the Hebrew Mashiach and is used primarily in Jewish and biblical contexts to mean the promised deliverer. Saviour highlights the theological role of rescuing people from sin and is more common in devotional or evangelical writing. In everyday English, 'Jesus Christ' or simply 'Christ' is the most neutral and widely understood form.

Jesus ↗Messiah ↗Saviour

Common collocations

Nouns

  • believer in Christ
  • follower of Christ
  • teachings of Christ

Phrases

  • in the name of Christ
  • the body of Christ
  • the life of Christ

Etymology

HebrewGreekLatinEnglish

Christ comes from the Greek word Christos (Χριστός), meaning 'anointed one'. This was used in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible to render the Hebrew word Mashiach (משיח), or 'Messiah'. In ancient Jewish tradition, kings and priests were anointed with oil as a sign of being chosen by God. Early Greek-speaking Christians applied this title to Jesus of Nazareth, and over time it became so closely tied to him that it functions almost as part of his name.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1