Christ Look up Christ at Dictionary.com
title given to Jesus of Nazareth, O.E. crist, from L. Christus, from Gk. khristos "the anointed" (translation of Heb. mashiah; see messiah), from khriein "to rub, anoint." The L. term drove out O.E. hæland "healer" as the preferred descriptive term for Jesus. A title, treated as a proper name in O.E., but not regularly capitalized until 17c. Pronunciation with long -i- is result of Ir. missionary work in England, 7c.-8c. The Ch- form, regular since c.1500, was rare before.