释义 |
ichthus, n. Christian Church. Brit. |ˈɪkθəs|, U.S. |ˈɪkθəs| Forms: 18– ichthus, 19– ichthys, 19– icthus [‹ ancient Greek ἰχθύς fish (see ichthyo- comb. form), after the initial letters of Hellenistic Greek Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, θεοῦ υἱός, σωτήρ ‘Jesus Christ, God's son, Saviour’. Compare:
a1748I. Watts Improvem. Mind (1793) i. xvii. 154 Jesus Christ, our Saviour, hath been called a fish, in Greek Ichthus, by the fathers, because these are the first letters of those Greek words, Jesus Christ, God's Son, the Saviour. The use of the fish as a symbol of Christ dates from the 2nd cent. a.d.; it is mentioned in Tertullian De Baptismo. The acrostic Hellenistic Greek Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, θεοῦ υἱός, σωτήρ occurs in the Sibylline Oracles 8. 217 (2nd cent. a.d.). Opinions are divided as to whether the symbol is derived from the acrostic or the acrostic from the symbol.] A stylized representation of a fish in profile, consisting of a pointed oval extended by two lines at one end (representing a tail), used as symbol for Jesus Christ or Christianity.
1859Universal Decorator 2 16/2 A repetition of the Ichthus, or fish, one of their earliest and most sacred symbols. 1872O. Shipley Gloss. Eccl. Terms 243/2 Ichthus, the emblematical Fish,..as representing the initials of our Saviour's title. 1911N.Y. Observer 7 Sept. 296/1 In the catacombs the ‘Ichthus’ inscription is common. 1985Los Angeles Times (Nexis) 27 Aug. iv. 10/1 Many of the advertisements feature the ichthus, or fish emblem, that traditionally symbolizes Christ. 2005Spokesman Rev. (Spokane, Washington) (Nexis) 19 Dec. 8 Ichthys? That's what you call the metallic ‘Jesus fish’ that's stuck on some cars. |