sanctify

English

WOTD – 1 November 2009

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman seintefier, from Old French saintefier, from Late Latin sānctificō, from Latin sānctus (“holy”) + faciō (“do, make”). Form altered to conform with Latin.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈsæŋk.tɪ.faɪ/

• Audio (US):

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• Audio (General Australian):

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Verb

sanctify (third-person singular simple present sanctifies, present participle sanctifying, simple past and past participle sanctified)

1. (transitive) To make holy; to consecrate; to set aside for sacred or ceremonial use.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 2:3:

     And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

2. (transitive) To free from sin; to purify.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 6:11:

     And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ephesians 5:25-26:

     Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

3. (transitive) To make acceptable or useful under religious law or practice.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Timothy 4:4-5:

     For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

4. (transitive) To endorse with religious sanction.

Synonyms

• (to make holy): consecrate, hallow; see also Thesaurus:consecrate
• (to free from sin): cleanse, purify

Antonyms

• * (antonym(s) of “to make holy”): profane; see also Thesaurus:desecrate

Related terms

• sanctification
• sanctifier

Translations

to make holy

• Bulgarian: освещавам (bg) (osveštavam)
• Dutch: heilig verklaren, heiligen (nl), verheiligen, wijden (nl), inwijden (nl), consacreren (nl), sancreren, sacraliseren, sanctificeren, sanctifiëren
• Finnish: pyhittää (fi)
• French: consacrer (fr), sanctifier (fr)
• German: heiligen (de)
• Gothic: 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌰𐌽 (weihan)
• Greek: εξαγιάζω (el) (exagiázo)

  Ancient: ἁγιάζω (hagiázō)

• Italian: consacrare (it)
• Latin: consecro
• Lithuanian: pašventinti
• Macedonian: освети (osveti), осветува (osvetuva)
• Maori: whakatapu, whakataputapu
• Norwegian: vigsle, helliggjøre
• Portuguese: santificar (pt), consagrar (pt)
• Quechua: willkachay
• Russian: освяща́ть (ru) impf (osvjaščátʹ), освяти́ть (ru) pf (osvjatítʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic: naomhaich
• Spanish: santificar (es)
• Tok Pisin: tambuim
• Turkish: kutsamak (tr)

to purify

• Bulgarian: очиствам от греховете (očistvam ot grehovete)
• Dutch: zuiveren (nl), louteren (nl)
• Finnish: puhdistaa (fi), vapauttaa (fi)
• Italian: purificare (it)
• Japanese: 浄化する (じょうかする, jōka suru)
• Lithuanian: apvalyti
• Macedonian: прочисти (pročisti), прочистува (pročistuva)
• Norwegian: rense, tilgi (no)
• Russian: очища́ть (ru) impf (očiščátʹ), очи́стить (ru) pf (očístitʹ)
• Spanish: santificar (es)
• Turkish: kutsamak (tr)

to make acceptable or useful

• Dutch: verschonen (nl)
• Finnish: pyhittää (fi)

to endorse

• Dutch: ruggensteunen (nl)
• Italian: santificare (it)
• Norwegian: velsigne (no)
• Russian: санкциони́ровать (ru) impf or pf (sankcionírovatʹ), одобря́ть (ru) impf (odobrjátʹ), одо́брить (ru) pf (odóbritʹ)
• Spanish: santificar (es)

References

• “sanctify”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “sanctify”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.