Messiah
Etymology
From Hebrew “māšîaḥ” (anointed one), from “māšaḥ” (to anoint) — anointing with oil marked the consecration of kings and priests. The Greek translation of the word is “christos,” from which “Christ” comes, so “Christ” is essentially a loan-translation of “messiah.” Secular usage now applies “messiah” to any figure treated as a lone, redemptive savior.
noun · /muh-SY-uh/
A promised deliverer or savior, especially the one awaited in Jewish and Christian tradition.
What it names
The hoped-for rescuer of a people — and, loosely, anyone cast as the single figure who will save a troubled cause.
Example
The board hired the new CEO like a messiah, expecting one person to redeem a decade of bad decisions.
Related idea
A prophet speaks on behalf of the divine; a messiah is the anointed deliverer the prophets often point toward — the awaited savior rather than the messenger.