christos

Christos is a Greek term meaning “the anointed one.” In ancient Greek and in the New Testament, it functions as a title referring to the Messiah. In the Greek New Testament, Jesus is described as “Iēsous ho Christos” (“Jesus the Christ”), and Christos is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew mashiach, or Messiah.

Etymology and usage: Christos derives from a Greek root associated with anointing, and the noun conveys the idea of being anointed. The Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, renders Mashiach as Christos, establishing the link between the Jewish expectation of a Messiah and the Christian identification of Jesus as that Messiah. In Christian theology, Christos is used both as a title and as part of the name Jesus Christ.

Modern usage: Beyond its biblical use, Christos is also a common male given name in Greece and among Greek-speaking communities. It is typically transliterated as Christos in Latin letters and appears in various forms in different languages that reflect the same root.