IHSn.

Etymology: < post-classical Latin IHS (also written IHS , Iħs , IHC , Iħc ) (6th cent. or earlier; 7th cent. or earlier in British sources) < Hellenistic Greek ΙΗΣ or ΙΗ , a manuscript abbreviation (comprising the first two letters and the last letter) of the name ΙΗΣΟΥΣ or ΙΗΟΥ (see Jesus n.), also used as a symbolic or ornamental monogram of the name. Compare nomen sacrum n. and discussion at that entry.Variation in Greek. The forms ΙΗΣ and ΙΗ contain respectively the final and lunate forms of the letter sigma. Variation in Latin. Post-classical Latin texts of the medieval period commonly use ihc or ihs, ihm, ihu (with or without a stroke over or across the h (ħ), or other mark of abbreviation) for Iesus (nominative), Iesum (accusative), Iesu (vocative). The use of the form IHC (as opposed to IHS) is attributed to Irish medieval scribes (in early Irish minuscule). Variation in Middle English. In Middle English the usual form was ihu representing Jesu; less frequently ihs, ihc, or ihus. These have commonly been expanded by modern editors as Ihesus, Ihesum, Ihesu, forms which occur occasionally in manuscripts and in early modern printed books. Reinterpretation of the abbreviation. The Latinized form of the abbreviation would be IES, but the Greek form was wholly or partially retained in Latin manuscripts as IHC or IHS. With subsequent loss of transparency of its origin, it has in later use often been considered a Latin abbreviation or contraction, and explained variously as an initialism of Iesus hominum salvator ‘Jesus, saviour of human beings’, of In hoc signo vinces ‘in this sign you shall conquer’, or of In hac salus ‘In this (sc. the cross) is salvation’.