extrema unctio
Extrema unctio is Latin for extreme unction, the Catholic anointing of the dying, one of the last rites noted in burial entries.
Extrema unctio means the last anointing. It was the usual Western name for the sacrament of anointing the sick from the late twelfth century until 1972, and for centuries it was given only when death was near.
A burial entry may list the rites received, such as confession, communion and extrema unctio. Last rites as a whole also include penance and the final communion, called viaticum.
As seen in a recordLatin burial register, 1790s
Munitus sacramento extremae unctionis obiit
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "extrema unctio." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/latin/extrema-unctio. Last checked 2026-10-10.