Standard Lemma guide

sacred

adj · verb · 13 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈseɪkɹɪd/
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /ˈseɪkəd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -eɪkəd
  • CMU ARPABET: S EY1 K R AH0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: S EY1 K R IH0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Characterized by solemn religious ceremony or religious use, especially, in a positive sense; consecrated, made holy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a sacred place
  • a sacred day
  • sacred service
  • 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.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: consecrated, divine, godly, hallowed, blessed, celestial, devoutful, heavenly, holy, sacred, sanctimonious, divined, sacrate, sanctified

Antonyms: profane, unholy

2

adj

Meaning 2

Religious; relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Spiritual; concerned with metaphysics.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Designated or exalted by a divine sanction; possessing the highest title to obedience, honor, reverence, or veneration; entitled to extreme reverence; venerable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: honoured, revered, venerated, admired, applauded, blessed, distinguished, eminent, esteemed, feared, gloriful, glorious, illustrious, priceless, reputable, respected, sacred, treasured, valued, well-regarded, worthy

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Not to be profaned or violated; inviolable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inviolable, sacrosanct, sacred

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Consecrated; dedicated; devoted

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: consecrated

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

simple past and past participle of sacre

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, participle, past

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective

Meaning 9

concerned with religion or religious purposes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • sacred texts
  • sacred rites
  • sacred music

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: profane

10

adjective satellite

Meaning 10

(often followed by `to') devoted exclusively to a single use or purpose or person

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a fund sacred to charity
  • a morning hour sacred to study
  • a private office sacred to the President

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

adjective satellite

Meaning 11

made or declared or believed to be holy; devoted to a deity or some religious ceremony or use

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a consecrated church
  • the sacred mosque
  • sacred elephants
  • sacred bread and wine
  • sanctified wine

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: consecrated, sanctified

Antonyms: none provided

12

adjective satellite

Meaning 12

worthy of religious veneration

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the sacred name of Jesus
  • Jerusalem's hallowed soil

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hallowed

Antonyms: none provided

13

adjective satellite

Meaning 13

worthy of respect or dedication

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • saw motherhood as woman's sacred calling

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English sacred, isacred, past participle of sacren, sakeren (“to make holy, hallow”), equivalent to sacre + -ed.

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Across languages

Translations

131 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: shenjtë — made holy
  • Albanian: shejtnueshëm — made holy
  • Amharic: የተቀደሰ (yätäḳädäsä) — made holy
  • Arabic: مُقَدَّس (muqaddas) — made holy
  • Arabic: مقدس (muʔaddas) — made holy
  • Armenian: սուրբ (surb) — made holy
  • Azerbaijani: müqəddəs — made holy
  • Belarusian: святы́ (svjatý) — made holy
  • Belarusian: свяшчэ́нны (svjaščénny) — made holy
  • Bulgarian: свят (svjat) — made holy
  • Bulgarian: свеще́н (sveštén) — made holy
  • Catalan: sagrat — made holy
  • Cherokee: ᎦᎸᏉᏗ (galvquodi) — made holy
  • Chinese Mandarin: 神聖 /神圣 (shénshèng) — made holy
  • Chinese Mandarin: 聖 /圣 (shèng) — made holy
  • Czech: svatý — made holy
  • Czech: posvátný — made holy
  • Dutch: heilig — made holy
  • Dutch: zalig — made holy
  • Dutch: gezegend — made holy
  • Egyptian: Dsr:r (ḏsr) — made holy
  • Esperanto: sankta — made holy
  • Estonian: püha — made holy
  • Finnish: pyhä — made holy
  • Finnish: siunattu — made holy
  • French: sacré — made holy
  • French: saint — made holy
  • Galician: sagrado — made holy
  • Georgian: საღმრთო (saɣmrto) — made holy
  • Georgian: წმინდა (c̣minda) — made holy
  • German: heilig — made holy
  • Gothic: 𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐍃 (weihs) — made holy
  • Greek: ιερός (ierós) — made holy
  • Ancient Greek: ἱερός (hierós) — made holy
  • Ancient Greek: ἅγιος (hágios) — made holy
  • Hebrew: קדוש (kadósh) — made holy
  • Hebrew: קדושה (kdoshá) — made holy
  • Hebrew: קדושים (kdoshím) — made holy
  • Hebrew: קדושות (kdoshót) — made holy
  • Hidatsa: xubáa — made holy
  • Higaonon: balaan — made holy
  • Hindi: पवित्र (pavitra) — made holy
  • Hungarian: szent — made holy
  • Hunsrik: heilich — made holy
  • Indonesian: sakral — made holy
  • Indonesian: suci — made holy
  • Indonesian: keramat — made holy
  • Interlingua: sacrate — made holy
  • Irish: beannaithe — made holy
  • Irish: coisricthe — made holy
  • Irish: naofa — made holy
  • Italian: sacro — made holy
  • Japanese: 神聖 (shinsei) — made holy
  • Japanese: 聖なる (sei naru) — made holy
  • Ladin: sant — made holy
  • Ladin: sent — made holy
  • Latin: sacer — made holy
  • Latvian: svēts — made holy
  • Lithuanian: šventas — made holy
  • Macedonian: свет (svet) — made holy
  • Malay: suci — made holy
  • Manx: casherick — made holy
  • Māori: tapu — made holy
  • Norwegian: hellig — made holy
  • Occitan: sacrat — made holy
  • Old English: hāliġ — made holy
  • Persian: مقدس (moqaddas) — made holy
  • Plautdietsch: heilich — made holy
  • Polish: święty — made holy
  • Portuguese: sagrado — made holy
  • Portuguese: sacro — made holy
  • Quechua: willka — made holy
  • Rapa Nui: tapu — made holy
  • Romanian: sacru — made holy
  • Russian: свято́й (svjatój) — made holy
  • Russian: свяще́нный (svjaščénnyj) — made holy
  • Scottish Gaelic: naomh — made holy
  • Scottish Gaelic: coisrigte — made holy
  • Serbo-Croatian: све̑т — made holy
  • Serbo-Croatian: svȇt — made holy
  • Slovak: svätý — made holy
  • Slovene: svet — made holy
  • Spanish: sagrado — made holy
  • Spanish: sacro — made holy
  • Swedish: helig — made holy
  • Tagalog: pamathala — made holy
  • Tagalog: pandiyos — made holy
  • Tamil: புனிதமான (puṉitamāṉa) — made holy
  • Thai: ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ (sàk-sìt) — made holy
  • Turkish: kutsal — made holy
  • Turkish: mukaddes — made holy
  • Ottoman Turkish: مقدس (mukaddes) — made holy
  • Ottoman Turkish: شریف (şerif) — made holy
  • Ottoman Turkish: عزیز (ʼazîz) — made holy
  • Ugaritic: 𐎖𐎄𐎌 (qdš) — made holy
  • Ukrainian: святи́й (svjatýj) — made holy
  • Ukrainian: свяще́нний (svjaščénnyj) — made holy
  • Vietnamese: thánh — made holy
  • Vietnamese: thần thánh — made holy
  • Welsh: cysegredig — made holy
  • Welsh: sanctaidd — made holy
  • Finnish: uskonnollinen — relating to religion
  • Georgian: სასულიერო (sasuliero) — relating to religion
  • Greek: ιερός (ierós) — relating to religion
  • Hindi: धार्मिक (dhārmik) — relating to religion
  • Scottish Gaelic: naomh — relating to religion
  • Welsh: crefyddol — relating to religion
  • Bulgarian: посветен (posveten) — designated by a divine sanction
  • Finnish: pyhä — designated by a divine sanction
  • Māori: tapu — designated by a divine sanction
  • Rapa Nui: tapu — designated by a divine sanction
  • Scottish Gaelic: naomh — designated by a divine sanction
  • Bulgarian: свещен (svešten) — not to be profaned or violated
  • Finnish: pyhä — not to be profaned or violated
  • Georgian: წმინდათა წმინდა (c̣mindata c̣minda) — not to be profaned or violated
  • Greek: ιερός (ierós) — not to be profaned or violated
  • Indonesian: sakral — not to be profaned or violated
  • Indonesian: keramat — not to be profaned or violated
  • Irish: dílis — not to be profaned or violated
  • Irish: dobhriste — not to be profaned or violated
  • Irish: dosháraithe — not to be profaned or violated
  • Māori: tapu — not to be profaned or violated
  • Rapa Nui: tapu — not to be profaned or violated
  • Finnish: pyhitetty — consecrated; dedicated; devoted
  • Greek: αφοσιωμένος (afosioménos) — consecrated; dedicated; devoted
  • Greek: αφιερωμένος (afieroménos) — consecrated; dedicated; devoted
  • Māori: tapu — consecrated; dedicated; devoted
  • Rapa Nui: tapu — consecrated; dedicated; devoted
  • Scottish Gaelic: coisrigte — consecrated; dedicated; devoted
  • Welsh: cysegredig — consecrated; dedicated; devoted
  • Finnish: vihkiytynyt — archaic: solemnly devoted to evil, or the like
Real reading context

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