anathema
a·na·the·ma/əˈnæθəmə/noun
anathema is spelled A-N-A-T-H-E-M-A: 8 letters and 4 syllables (a·na·the·ma). It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,459th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, anathema means “A ban or curse pronounced with religious solemnity by ecclesiastical authority, often accompanied by excommunication; something denounced as accursed” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of anathema is anathemas or anathemata.
How many letters and syllables are in anathema?
| Letters | 8: A-N-A-T-H-E-M-A |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 4: a·na·the·ma |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 37,459th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is anathema?
Anathema appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 37,459th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce anathema?
- /əˈnæθəmə/
Anathema has 4 syllables, split a·na·the·ma in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-anathema.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of anathema
- anathemas plural
- anathemata plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does anathema mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A ban or curse pronounced with religious solemnity by ecclesiastical authority, often accompanied by excommunication; something denounced as accursed.
- 2
Something which is vehemently disliked by somebody.
- 3
An imprecation; a curse; a malediction.
- 4
Any person or thing anathematized, or cursed by ecclesiastical authority to unending punishment.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Anathema in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | anathème |
| German | Bannfluch, Bannstrahl, Kirchenbann, Anathema , Gräuel, Graus |
| Portuguese | anátema |
| Spanish | anatema |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.