sacrament

noun

sac·​ra·​ment ˈsa-krə-mənt 

1

a

: a Christian rite (such as baptism or the Eucharist) that is believed to have been ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality

b

: a religious rite or observance comparable to a Christian sacrament

2

capitalized

a

: communion sense 2a

b

: blessed sacrament

3

: something likened to a religious sacrament

saw voting as a sacrament of democracy

Examples of sacrament in a Sentence

They stood in line to receive the Sacrament.

Recent Examples on the Web

Confirmation Catholic teens are confirmed in their faith as one of the three most important sacraments (along with baptism and the Eucharist). —Jennifer O'Donnell, Parents, 8 July 2024

The ruling means the archbishop cannot receive the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church, such as communion. —Christopher Lamb, CNN, 5 July 2024

The focus of the congress and the pilgrimage is the Eucharist, the bread that Catholics believe becomes the literal body of Christ during the sacrament of Holy Communion. —Dan Horn, The Enquirer, 4 July 2024

Each church was designed to offer most of Catholicism’s cradle-to-grave sacraments while also providing Catholic education and adult fellowship. —Jonathan M. Pitts, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sacrement, sacrament, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin sacramentum, from Latin, oath of allegiance, obligation, from sacrare to consecrate

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

sacrament

noun

sac·​ra·​ment ˈsak-rə-mənt 

1

: a religious act that is a sign or symbol of a spiritual existence

2

capitalized : blessed sacrament

sacramental

ˌsak-rə-ˈment-ᵊl

adjective

sacramentally

-ᵊl-ē

adverb