hoplochrism

English

Alternative forms

• hoplochrisme (obsolete)

Etymology

Formed as hoplo- (“weapon”) +‎ chrism (“consecrated oil mingled with balm”, “unguent”); equivalent to the Ancient Greek ὅπλον (hóplon, “weapon”) + χρῖσμα (khrîsma, “salve”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: hŏpʹlōkrĭzm, IPA^(key): /ˈhɒpləʊkɹɪzm/

Noun

hoplochrism (uncountable)

1. (rare, chiefly historical) The superstitious practice of applying a salve, ointment, or chrism to a weapon that has caused an injury — rather than to the injury itself — in the belief that doing so will heal the wound that the weapon caused; weapon salve.
   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:hoplochrism.

Derived terms

• hoplochristical

References

• “†ˈhoplochrism” defined as a derived term of the prefix “hoplo-”, listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd Ed.; 1989]

Anagrams

• chromophils