Eucharist
UK[ˈjuːkərɪst]US[ˈjuːkərɪst]
n
The Christian ceremony commemorating the Last Supper, in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed.
n
The consecrated bread and wine used in this ceremony.
Morpheme Breakdown
eu
charist
eu
good
charist
grace, gift
Etymology
The word Eucharist originates from the Greek eukharistia, meaning "thanksgiving." This is a compound of eu- ("good, well") and kharis ("grace, favor, gift"). The term was adopted into Late Latin as eucharistia and entered English via Old French, specifically referring to the Christian sacrament of Holy Communion. The semantic logic flows from the literal "giving of thanks for a good gift" to the specific theological concept of giving thanks for the gift of Christ's sacrifice, which is commemorated through the ritual.
Analysis
Structure: eu (good) + charist (grace, gift)
eu (Greek origin, meaning "good" or "well"); charist (from Greek charis, meaning "grace, favor, gift").
Examples
The congregation gathered to celebrate the Eucharist.
She received the Eucharist during the morning service.
The doctrine of the Eucharist is central to many Christian traditions.