Standard Lemma guide

deconsecrate

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /diːˈkɒnsəkɹeɪt/

1

verb

Meaning 1

To remove the holy or sacred status of a place

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The ancient Romans deconsecrated city walls with a plow, undoing the rituals that first established their course.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

remove the consecration from a person or an object

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: desecrate, unhallow

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change by reversal, turn, reverse

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *seh2k- Proto-Indo-European *-rós Proto-Indo-European *sh2krós Proto-Italic *sakros Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Proto-Italic *sakrāō Latin sacrō Latin cōnsecrōbor. Middle English consecraten English consecrate English deconsecrate From de- + consecrate.