Benitier

/bɛˈnɪtieɪ/ noun

Definition

A holy water basin or font, typically found in churches, used for holding blessed water in Christian religious settings.

Etymology

From French bénitier, from Old French beneït 'blessed' (from Latin benedictus) + -ier container suffix. The word literally means 'a container for blessed things.'

Kelly Says

Benitier is a perfect example of how French and English borrowed the same Latin root for 'blessed' but created completely different words—English uses 'holy water font' while French uses this elegant single word.

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