sacred en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Middle English sacred, isacred, past participle of sacren, sakeren (“to make holy, hallow”), equivalent to sacre + -ed.
Meanings
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Characterized by solemn religious ceremony or religious use, especially, in a positive sense; consecrated, made holy.
The sacred is the emotional force which connects the part to the whole; the profane or the secular is that which has been broken off from, or has fallen off, its emotional bond to the universe.
1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 102:a sacred place
sacred service
In doing this I particularly instructed my informant to tell his tale as if he were relating it to his own people, and to use the same words that he would use if he were recounting similar tales to them when assembled in a sacred house.
1882, Edward Shortland, Maori Religion and Mythology:a sacred day
In Xanadu did Kubla Khan / A stately pleasure-dome decree: / Where Alph, the sacred river, ran / Through caverns measureless to man / Down to a sunless sea.
1797, S[amuel] T[aylor] Coleridge, “Kubla Khan: Or A Vision in a Dream”, in Christabel: Kubla Khan, a Vision: The Pains of Sleep, London: […] John Murray, […], by William Bulmer and Co. […], published 1816, →OCLC, page 55:November 30 2016, Joe Whittle writing in The Guardian, We opened eyes': at Standing Rock, my fellow Native Americans make history Their intent was to march peacefully down a county road to DAPL headquarters, where tribal elders would pray and hold ceremony to bless the sacred sites being disturbed by pipeline construction.
The cross is that high symbol of sacred service, the devotion of one's life to the welfare and salvation of one's fellows. The cross is not the symbol of the sacrifice of the innocent Son of God in the place of guilty sinners and in order to appease the wrath of an offended God, but it does stand forever, on earth and throughout a vast universe, as a sacred symbol of the good bestowing themselves upon the evil and thereby saving them by this very devotion of love.
1955, anonymous author, The Urantia Book: The Time of the Tomb:
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Religious; relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular
Smit with the love of sacred song.
1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost:By way of example, it would be sufficient to refer to Sabino Samele acquaviva (1971), previously known for his theory of the eclipse of the sacred, and to Harvey cox (1968), prophet of the secular city.
2015, Douglas J. Davies, Adam J. Powell, Sacred Selves, Sacred Settings: Reflecting Hans Mol, →ISBN, page 87:
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Spiritual; concerned with metaphysics.
In his major studies, Eliade explains the sacred and profane as “two modes of being in the world, two existential situations assumed by man in the course of history. . . . In the last analysis, the sacred and profane modes of being depend upon the different positions that man has conquered in the cosmos."
2014, Elazar Barkan, Karen Barkey, Choreographies of Shared Sacred Sites, →ISBN:Unlike most metaphysical or philosophical naturalists who reject any supernatural beings or supernatural/sacred entities, naturalists who take the concept of the sacred seriously must answer this question: “What is the value of the sacred with respect to nature?"
2014, Leon Niemoczynski, Nam T. Nguyen, A Philosophy of Sacred Nature: Prospects for Ecstatic Naturalism, →ISBN:
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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.
1595, William Shakespeare, King Richard II:Poet and saint to thee alone were given, The two most sacred names of earth and heaven.
1656, Abraham Cowley, On The Death Of Mr. Crashaw:
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Not to be profaned or violated; inviolable.
The sacred project of sociology is simply to help people enjoy being fully what they are.
2014, Christian Smith, The Sacred Project of American Sociology, →ISBN:Secrets of marriage still are sacred held.
1701, John Dryden, Aurenge-Zebe: Or, The Great-Mogul:
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(followed by the preposition "to") Consecrated; dedicated; devoted
A temple, sacred to the queen of love.
1700, John Dryden, Palamon and Arcite:
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(archaic) Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful.
But, to destruction sacred and devote.
1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more sacred | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most sacred | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
unholy · profane · cursed · damned
Deriveds
secret-sacred · sacred sage · sacred way · sacred bamboo · pseudosacred · semisacred · sacred baboon · sacred fig · sacred fir · sacred eroticism · unsacred · sacred beetle · sacred kingfisher · sacred lotus · sacred bean · sacredise · sacred ibis · sacredize · sacred cow · sacred geometry · quasi-sacred · nonsacred · sacredness · Sacred War · sacred theology · African sacred ibis · sacredly · sacred harp · sacred text · sacred bundle · sacred ape
Relateds
Synonyms
sacrosanct · holy · blessed · consecrated · sacred · sacred · esteemed · venerated · sanctified · consecrated · feared · well-regarded · revered · respected · blessed · inviolable · distinguished · eminent · divined · glorious · inviolable · consecrated · honoured · valued · gloriful · divine · godly · celestial · holy · applauded · treasured · sacred · hallowed · illustrious · hallowed · heavenly · reputable · hallowed · devoutful · sacred · worthy · honoured · venerated · admired · sanctimonious · godly · priceless · revered · sacrate · sacrosanct · divine
Translations (131)
fa مقدس (made holy) · ru свяще́нный (made holy) · fr sacré (made holy) · ga coisricthe (made holy) · mi tapu (designated by a divine sanction) · id sakral (not to be profaned or violated) · gv casherick (made holy) · ka სასულიერო (relating to religion) · lt šventas (made holy) · ro sacru (made holy) · sv helig (made holy) · fr saint (made holy) · nl gezegend (made holy) · rap tapu (not to be profaned or violated) · ga beannaithe (made holy) · cmn 神聖 /神圣 (made holy) · pt sacro (made holy) · grc ἱερός (made holy) · hu szent (made holy) · ka საღმრთო (made holy) · el ιερός (relating to religion) · el ιερός (not to be profaned or violated) · am የተቀደሰ (made holy) · fi pyhä (made holy) · fi siunattu (made holy) · ota شریف (made holy) · he קדושות (made holy) · cy crefyddol (relating to religion) · fi pyhä (designated by a divine sanction) · ar مُقَدَّس (made holy) · mi tapu (not to be profaned or violated) · ga dílis (not to be profaned or violated) · he קדוש (made holy) · ota مقدس (made holy) · he קדושה (made holy) · fi pyhä (not to be profaned or violated) · be свяшчэ́нны (made holy) · ka წმინდა (made holy) · fi uskonnollinen (relating to religion) · ia sacrate (made holy) · chr ᎦᎸᏉᏗ (made holy) · hi धार्मिक (relating to religion) · tl pandiyos (made holy) · nl heilig (made holy) · be святы́ (made holy) · pdt heilich (made holy) · la sacer (made holy) · ca sagrat (made holy) · lld sant (made holy) · bg свеще́н (made holy) · mi tapu (consecrated; dedicated; devoted) · bg свещен (not to be profaned or violated) · oc sacrat (made holy) · hid xubáa (made holy) · got 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐍃 (made holy) · cy sanctaidd (made holy) · arz مقدس (made holy) · sq shenjtë (made holy) · th ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ (made holy) · gd coisrigte (consecrated; dedicated; devoted) · el αφοσιωμένος (consecrated; dedicated; devoted) · nl zalig (made holy) · vi thánh (made holy) · gd naomh (relating to religion) · gd naomh (made holy) · mi tapu (made holy) · ga dosháraithe (not to be profaned or violated) · az müqəddəs (made holy) · he קדושים (made holy) · sq shejtnueshëm (made holy) · rap tapu (designated by a divine sanction) · bg посветен (designated by a divine sanction) · lld sent (made holy) · it sacro (made holy) · fi vihkiytynyt (archaic: solemnly devoted to evil, or the like) · ga naofa (made holy) · sh све̑т (made holy) · lv svēts (made holy) · ta புனிதமான (made holy) · el αφιερωμένος (consecrated; dedicated; devoted) · de heilig (made holy) · el ιερός (made holy) · tr mukaddes (made holy) · cs posvátný (made holy) · es sagrado (made holy) · ms suci (made holy) · id suci (made holy) · tl pamathala (made holy) · egy Dsr:r (made holy) · ga dobhriste (not to be profaned or violated) · grc ἅγιος (made holy) · qu willka (made holy) · mk свет (made holy) · sk svätý (made holy) · cy cysegredig (consecrated; dedicated; devoted) · cy cysegredig (made holy) · gd coisrigte (made holy) · rap tapu (consecrated; dedicated; devoted) · mba balaan (made holy) · tr kutsal (made holy) · bg свят (made holy) · ka წმინდათა წმინდა (not to be profaned or violated) · ru свято́й (made holy) · eo sankta (made holy) · pl święty (made holy) · ja 神聖 (made holy) · hi पवित्र (made holy) · ja 聖なる (made holy) · ota عزیز (made holy) · vi thần thánh (made holy) · uk святи́й (made holy) · es sacro (made holy) · id sakral (made holy) · ang hāliġ (made holy) · sh svȇt (made holy) · uga 𐎖𐎄𐎌 (made holy) · rap tapu (made holy) · id keramat (not to be profaned or violated) · hy սուրբ (made holy) · uk свяще́нний (made holy) · fi pyhitetty (consecrated; dedicated; devoted) · cmn 聖 /圣 (made holy) · no hellig (made holy) · pt sagrado (made holy) · id keramat (made holy) · sl svet (made holy) · et püha (made holy) · gd naomh (designated by a divine sanction) · gl sagrado (made holy) · hrx heilich (made holy) · cs svatý (made holy)