Q: Dictionaries list “anathema” as a noun, yet they often give sample sentences in which it's used as an adjective! ... The Oxford English Dictionary describes “anathema” as a noun and a “quasi-adj.” that English adopted in the 16th century from ecclesiastical Latin and Greek.

What is an example of anathema?

Its most common modern usage is in secular contexts where it is used to mean something or someone that is detested or shunned. Examples: "Racial hatred was anathema to her." "The idea that one would voluntarily inject poison into one's body was anathema to me."

Can anathema be a verb?

(transitive) To cause to be, or to declare as, an anathema or evil.