Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Dedicated to or set apart for the worship of a deity.
- adjective Worthy of religious veneration.
- adjective Made or declared holy.
- adjective Dedicated or devoted exclusively to a single use, purpose, or person.
- adjective Worthy of respect; venerable.
- adjective Of or relating to religious objects, rites, or practices.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Hallowed, consecrated, or made holy by association with divinity or divine things, or by solemn religious ceremony or sanction; set apart, dedicated, or appropriated to holy or religious purposes or service; regarded as holy or under divine protection: as, a sacred place; a sacred day; sacred service; the sacred lotus.
- Devoted, dedicated, or consecrated with pious or filial intent: with to: as, a monument sacred to the memory of some one.
- Devoted to destruction or infamy; execrable; accursed; infamous.
- Of or pertaining to religion or divine things; relating to the service or will of the deity: opposed to secular and profane: as, sacred music; sacred history.
- Entitled to consideration, respect, or reverence; not to be thoughtlessly treated or intruded upon; venerable.
- Hence To be kept inviolate; not to be violated, profaned, or made common; inviolate.
- Not amenable to punishment; enjoying immunity: as, the king's person is sacred.
- Synonyms Sacred, Holy. Holy is stronger and more absolute than any word of cognate meaning. That which is sacred may derive its sanction from man; that which is holy has its sanctity directly from God or as connected with him. Hence we speak of the Holy Bible, and the sacred writings of the Hindus. He who is holy is absolutely or essentially free from sin; sacred is not a word of personal character. The opposite of
holy is sinful or wicked; that of sacred is secular, profane, or common.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Set apart by solemn religious ceremony; especially, in a good sense, made holy; set apart to religious use; consecrated; not profane or common.
- adjective Relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular; religious.
- adjective Designated or exalted by a divine sanction; possessing the highest title to obedience, honor, reverence, or veneration; entitled to extreme reverence; venerable.
- adjective Hence, not to be profaned or violated; inviolable.
- adjective Consecrated; dedicated; devoted; -- with
to . - adjective Archaic Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful.
- adjective (R.C. Ch.) a religious order of women, founded in France in 1800, and approved in 1826. It was introduced into America in 1817. The members of the order devote themselves to the higher branches of female education.
- adjective (Zoöl.) See
Hamadryas . - adjective (Bot.) a seed of the Oriental lotus (
Nelumbo speciosa orNelumbium speciosum ), a plant resembling a water lily; also, the plant itself. SeeLotus . - adjective (Zoöl.) See
Scarab . - adjective See
Canon , n., 3. - adjective (Zoöl.) any one of numerous species of fresh-water African fishes of the family
Mormyridæ . Several large species inhabit the Nile and were considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians; especiallyMormyrus oxyrhynchus . - adjective See
Ibis . - adjective (Zoöl.) The bhunder, or rhesus monkey.
- adjective (Civil Law) the place where a deceased person is buried.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
Set apart bysolemn religious ceremony ; especially, in a good sense, madeholy ; set apart to religious use;consecrated ; notprofane orcommon ; as, a sacred place; a sacred day; sacred service. - adjective Relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not
secular ; religious; as, sacred history. - adjective
Designated orexalted by adivine sanction ; possessing the highest title toobedience ,honor ,reverence , orveneration ; entitled to extremereverence ;venerable . - adjective Hence, not to be profaned or
violated ;inviolable . - adjective Consecrated;
dedicated ;devoted ; -- with to. - adjective archaic Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful.
- verb Simple past tense and past participle of
sacre .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective (often followed by `to') devoted exclusively to a single use or purpose or person
- adjective worthy of religious veneration
- adjective worthy of respect or dedication
- adjective made or declared or believed to be holy; devoted to a deity or some religious ceremony or use
- adjective concerned with religion or religious purposes
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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{469} _Homa_, or sacred tree, and the _sacred tree of the Hindus_; and the same may yet be found in the _British oak_.
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A man may keep his friendship sacred, because promises of friendship are very awful ties; but, methinks, he cannot, but in a burlesque sense, be said to keep his ease _sacred_.
The Works of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. in Nine Volumes Volume the Eighth: The Lives of the Poets, Volume II Samuel Johnson 1746
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But the new constitution will see his status changed slightly, with the term "sacred" disappearing but the monarch still remaining "inviolable", the king said.
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But the new constitution will see his status changed slightly, with the term "sacred" disappearing but the monarch still remaining "inviolable", the king said.
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This is opposed, of course, to how Catholic Tradition understands the term sacred history, namely that part of actual history which is recorded by the Bible.
Latest Articles PugioFidei.com 2009
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Parents can also set rules about where digital media is used in the household, establishing what she calls "sacred spaces" in the kitchen or bedrooms where texting or emailing is banned.
Aspen Ideas Festival: 'Put your damn phone down' say social media gurus 2011
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Sacrifice comes from the Latin sacer, from which we derive the word "sacred."
Rabbi Josh Feigelson: What Would You Sacrifice To Repair The World? Rabbi Josh Feigelson 2012
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Sacrifice comes from the Latin sacer, from which we derive the word "sacred."
Rabbi Josh Feigelson: What Would You Sacrifice To Repair The World? Rabbi Josh Feigelson 2012
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Since 2000, I have done what I call my sacred practice every morning.
Manifesting Michelangelo Joseph Pierce Farrell 2011
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Parents can also set rules about where digital media is used in the household, establishing what she calls "sacred spaces" in the kitchen or bedrooms where texting or emailing is banned.
Aspen Ideas Festival: 'Put your damn phone down' say social media gurus 2011
Louises commented on the word sacred
Maddy not being what she seemed would be a uniquely dismal disappointment, the sort of thing that makes you say, Jesus, is nothing sacred? From "The Last Werewolf" by Glen Duncan.
March 21, 2012