sacred

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English, participle adjective of sacren, from Old French sacrer, from Latin sacrare (“to make sacred", consecrate”), from sacer (“sacred", "holy”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈseɪkrɪd/

• Audio (US)

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Adjective

sacred (comparative more sacred, superlative most sacred)

1. Set apart by solemn religious ceremony; especially, in a good sense, made holy; set apart to religious use; consecrated; not profane or common; as, a sacred place; a sacred day; sacred service.
2. Relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular; religious; as, sacred history.

   Smit with the love of sacred song. -John Milton.

3. Designated or exalted by a divine sanction; possessing the highest title to obedience, honor, reverence, or veneration; entitled to extreme reverence; venerable.

   Such neighbor nearness to our sacred [royal] blood Should nothing privilege him. William Shakespeare

   Poet and saint to thee alone were given, The two most sacred names of earth and heaven. -Cowley.

4. Hence, not to be profaned or violated; inviolable.

   Secrets of marriage still are sacred held. -Dryden.

5. Consecrated; dedicated; devoted; -- with to.

   A temple, sacred to the queen of love. -Dryden.

6. (archaic) Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful.

   But, to destruction sacred and devote. -Milton.

Synonyms

The terms below need to be checked and allocated to the definitions (senses) of the headword above. Each term should appear in the sense for which it is appropriate. Use the template {{sense|"gloss"}}, substituting a short version of the definition for "gloss".

• consecrated
• divine
• godly
• hallowed
• holy
• inviolable
• sacrosanct

Antonyms

The terms below need to be checked and allocated to the definitions (senses) of the headword above. Each term should appear in the sense for which it is appropriate. Use the template {{sense|"gloss"}}, substituting a short version of the definition for "gloss".

• cursed
• damned
• profane
• unholy
• ungodly

Translations

made holy

Catalan: sagrat (ca) m. Czech: svatý (cs) m., posvátný (cs) m. Finnish: pyhä (fi), siunattu (fi) Georgian: საღმრთო (ka), წმინდა (ka) Greek: ιερός (el) (ieros) Interlingua: sacrate (ia) Malay: suci (ms) Norwegian: hellig (no)

Portuguese: sagrado (pt) Romanian: sacru (ro) Russian: священный (ru) Scottish Gaelic: naomh (gd), coisrigte (gd) Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: свето (sh) Latin: sveto (sh) Spanish: sagrado (es)

relating to religion

Finnish: uskonnollinen (fi) Georgian: სასულიერო (ka)

Scottish Gaelic: naomh (gd)

designated by a divine sanction

Finnish: pyhä (fi)

Scottish Gaelic: naomh (gd)

not to be profaned or violated

Finnish: pyhä (fi)

Georgian: წმინდათა წმინდა (ka)

consecrated; dedicated; devoted

Finnish: pyhitetty (fi)

Scottish Gaelic: coisrigte (gd)

archaic: solemnly devoted to evil, or the like

Finnish: vihkiytynyt (fi)

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈseɪkəd/

Verb

sacred

1. Simple past tense and past participle of sacre.

Anagrams

• cadres, cedars, e-cards, ecards, scared