Eucharist
/ˈjuː.kə.rɪst/noun
The Christian sacrament commemorating the Last Supper, involving bread and wine.
Did you know?It comes from Greek *eucharistia* (“thanksgiving”), built on *eu-* (“good”) + *kharis* (“grace, favor”), the same ancient root behind words like *charity* and *charm*.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
GRK
εὐχαριστία (eukharistía)
“thanksgiving, gratitude, a giving of thanks”
Late Greek / Early Christian
GRK
εὐχαριστία (Eucharistia)
“the act of giving thanks in Christian worship, especially the sacrament”
Late Latin
LAT
eucharistia
“thanksgiving; the Christian sacrament”
Middle English
ENG
eukarist / eucharist
“the sacrament of Holy Communion”
Modern English
ENG
eucharist
“the Christian sacrament commemorating the Last Supper”