sacred

adjective

sa·​cred ˈsā-krəd 

1

a

: dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity

a tree sacred to the gods

b

: devoted exclusively to one service or use (as of a person or purpose)

a fund sacred to charity

2

a

: worthy of religious veneration : holy

b

: entitled to reverence and respect

3

: of or relating to religion : not secular or profane

sacred music

4

archaic : accursed

5

a

: unassailable, inviolable

b

: highly valued and important

a sacred responsibility

sacredly adverb

sacredness noun

Synonyms

• hallowed
• holy
• inviolable
• sacrosanct
• unassailable
• untouchable

Examples of sacred in a Sentence

The burial site is sacred ground.

the sacred image of the Virgin Mary

the sacred pursuit of liberty

We have a sacred duty to find out the truth.

Freedom is a sacred right.

They'll make jokes about anything. Nothing is sacred to those guys.

I can't believe they would do that. Is nothing sacred?

Recent Examples on the Web

Players have long viewed Augusta National as sacred ground for golf and a sanctuary from modern distractions that are part of the landscape of just about any other sporting event. —Alan Blinder Doug Mills, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024

The site contains 1,070 homes with more than 13,000 rooms, as well as public and sacred spaces, according to the archeological park. —Amarachi Orie, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024

First thought is that Fridays used to be sacred ground for high school football. —Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024

The latest changes are responding to new federal rules on the implementation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) regarding the rights of Native nations over sacred and funerary objects of their ancestors. —Kathleen Duval, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024

Emerson had resigned from his position as a Unitarian minister after growing frustrated by the way that Church doctrine cloistered the sacred and the profane. —Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024

The place is believed to have a healing effect on physical and spiritual ailments, according to the study, and is considered a sacred place to make sacrifices to this day. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024

Ramy Youssef has spent much of his career mining heartfelt humor from experiences that straddle the sacred and the profane. —Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2024

This technology fosters a deeper connection with the holiday's spiritual dimensions, making the sacred more accessible to everyone, regardless of geographical constraints. —Neil Sahota, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from past participle of sacren to consecrate, from Anglo-French sacrer, from Latin sacrare, from sacr-, sacer sacred; akin to Latin sancire to make sacred, Hittite šaklāi- rite

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing sacred

• sacred baboon
• sacred cow
• sacred fig
• sacred mushroom

Kids Definition

sacred

adjective

sa·​cred ˈsā-krəd 

1

: set apart in honor of someone (as a god)

a mountain sacred to Jupiter

2

: holy sense 3

the sacred name of Jesus

3

: religious entry 1 sense 2

sacred songs

4

: deserving respect or honor

a sacred right

sacredly adverb

sacredness noun

Etymology

Middle English sacred "sacred," derived from early French sacrer "to make holy, dedicate to God," from Latin sacrare (same meaning), from sacr-, sacer "sacred, holy" — related to consecrate, sacrifice