Melkite

See also: melkite

English

Alternative forms

• Melchite

Etymology

From Latin Melchita, from Byzantine Greek Μελχίτης (Melkhítēs), from Classical Syriac ܡܠܟܝܐ (malkāyāʾ, “royal; royalist”) +‎ Byzantine Greek -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs). See these for more.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛlkaɪt/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈmɛlkʌɪt/

Noun

Melkite (plural Melkites)

1. (historical) In 5th-century Syria and Egypt, a sobriquet applied to Chalcedonians by their opponents, denoting the Chalcedonians' fidelity to the Byzantine emperor.
   • 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, page 233:

     [...] increasingly a majority in the Egyptian Church as well as other strongholds of Miaphysitism denounced Chalcedonian Christians as ‘Dyophysites’ and sneered at them as ‘the emperor's people’ – Melchites.

2. (since the Great Schism) A member of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch or the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem; ellipsis of Orthodox Melkite.
3. (since 1724) A member of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church; ellipsis of Catholic Melkite.

Derived terms

• Melkitism

Translations

(all senses)

• Dutch: melkiet m
• Finnish: melkiitti
• French: melchite (fr) m or f, melkite (fr) m or f
• German: Melkite m, Melkitin f
• Italian: melchita
• Polish: melchita m, melkita m
• Portuguese: melquita (pt) m or f
• Russian: мелькит (ru) m (melʹkit)
• Spanish: please add this translation if you can