Sacred

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: sa=cred

CIDE DICTIONARY

Sacred, a. [Originally p. p. of OE. sacren to consecrate, F. sacrer, fr. L. sacrare, fr. sacer sacred, holy, cursed. Cf. Consecrate, Execrate, Saint, Sexton.].

•  Set apart by solemn religious ceremony; especially, in a good sense, made holy; set apart to religious use; consecrated; not profane or common; as, a sacred place; a sacred day; sacred service.  [1913 Webster]
•  Relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular; religious; as, sacred history.  [1913 Webster]

  "Smit with the love of sacred song."  [1913 Webster]
•  Designated or exalted by a divine sanction; possessing the highest title to obedience, honor, reverence, or veneration; entitled to extreme reverence; venerable.  [1913 Webster]

  "Such neighbor nearness to our sacred [royal] blood
  Should nothing privilege him."  [1913 Webster]

  "Poet and saint to thee alone were given,
  The two most sacred names of earth and heaven."  [1913 Webster]
•  Hence, not to be profaned or violated; inviolable.  [1913 Webster]

  "Secrets of marriage still are sacred held."  [1913 Webster]
•  Consecrated; dedicated; devoted; -- with to.  [1913 Webster]

  "A temple, sacred to the queen of love."  [1913 Webster]
•  Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful.  [1913 Webster]

  "But, to destruction sacred and devote."  [1913 Webster]

Society of the Sacred Heart (R.C. Ch.), a religious order of women, founded in France in 1800, and approved in 1826. It was introduced into America in 1817. The members of the order devote themselves to the higher branches of female education. -- Sacred baboon. (Zoöl.) See Hamadryas. -- Sacred bean (Bot.), a seed of the Oriental lotus (Nelumbo speciosa or Nelumbium speciosum), a plant resembling a water lily; also, the plant itself. See Lotus. -- Sacred beetle (Zoöl.) See Scarab. -- Sacred canon. See Canon, n., 3. -- Sacred fish (Zoöl.), any one of numerous species of fresh-water African fishes of the family Mormyridæ. Several large species inhabit the Nile and were considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians; especially Mormyrus oxyrhynchus. -- Sacred ibis. See Ibis. -- Sacred monkey. (Zoöl.) (a) Any Asiatic monkey of the genus Semnopithecus, regarded as sacred by the Hindoos; especially, the entellus. See Entellus. (b) The sacred baboon. See Hamadryas. (c) The bhunder, or rhesus monkey. -- Sacred place (Civil Law), the place where a deceased person is buried.

Syn. -- Holy; divine; hallowed; consecrated; dedicated; devoted; religious; venerable; reverend.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Sacred, adj.
1 a (often foll. by to) exclusively dedicated or appropriated (to a god or to some religious purpose). b made holy by religious association. c connected with religion; used for a religious purpose (sacred music).
2 a safeguarded or required by religion, reverence, or tradition. b sacrosanct.
3 (of writings etc.) embodying the laws or doctrines of a religion.

Idiom

Sacred College RC Ch. the body of cardinals. sacred cow colloq. an idea or institution unreasonably held to be above criticism (with ref. to the Hindus' respect for the cow as a holy animal). Sacred Heart RC Ch. the heart of Christ as an object of devotion. sacred number a number associated with religious symbolism, e.g. 7.

Derivative

sacredly adv. sacredness n.

Etymology

ME, past part. of obs. sacre consecrate f. OF sacrer f. L sacrare f. sacer sacri holy

DEVIL DICTIONARY

Sacred

adj. Dedicated to some religious purpose; having a divine character; inspiring solemn thoughts or emotions; as, the Dalai Lama of Thibet; the Moogum of M'bwango; the temple of Apes in Ceylon; the Cow in India; the Crocodile, the Cat and the Onion of ancient Egypt; the Mufti of Moosh; the hair of the dog that bit Noah, etc.

All things are either sacred or profane.
The former to ecclesiasts bring gain;
The latter to the devil appertain.
Dumbo Omohundro

THESAURUS

Sacred

all-knowing, all-powerful, all-seeing, all-wise, almighty, alto, angelic, awe-inspiring, awesome, awful, baritone, bass, blessed, boundless, bravura, ceremonial, changeless, cherished, choral, choric, churchly, coloratura, consecrated, creating, creative, dedicated, defended, divine, dramatic, ecclesiastical, eternal, eternally the same, everlasting, falsetto, glorious, godly, good, guarded, hallowed, heavenly, heroic, hieratic, highest, holy, hymnal, immortal, immune, immutable, ineffable, inenarrable, inexpressible, infinite, inviolable, inviolate, just, limitless, liturgical, loving, luminous, lyric, majestic, making, merciful, numinous, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, one, operatic, permanent, perpetual, priestly, protected, psalmic, psalmodial, psalmodic, radiant, religious, revered, ritual, sacramental, sacrosanct, sainted, saintly, sanctified, shaping, shielded, singing, solemn, soprano, sovereign, spiritual, supreme, tenor, the holy, the ineffable, the inenarrable, the inexpressible, the numinous, the unspeakable, the unutterable, timeless, treble, ubiquitous, unbounded, unchanging, undefined, unlimited, unspeakable, untouchable, unutterable, venerable, venerated, vocal

ROGET THESAURUS

Sacred

Deity

VB create, move, uphold, preserve, govern, atone, redeem, save, propitiate, mediate, predestinate, elect, call, ordain, bless, justify, sanctify, glorify Adj, almighty, holy, hallowed, sacred, divine, heavenly, celestial, sacrosanct, all-knowing, all-seeing, all-wise, omniscient, superhuman, supernatural, ghostly, spiritual, hyperphysical, unearthly, theistic, theocratic, anointed, soterial.

N deity, Divinity, Godhead, Godship, Omnipotence, Providence, Heaven (metonymically), divineness, divinity, God, Lord, Jehovah, Jahweh, Allah, The Almighty, The Supreme Being, The First Cause, the Prime Mover, Ens Entium, Author of all things, Creator of all things, Author of our being, Cosmoplast, El, The Infinite, The Eternal, The All-powerful, The All-wise, The All- merciful, The All-holy, infinite power, infinite wisdom, infinite goodness, infinite justice, infinite truth, infinite mercy, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, unity, immutability, holiness, glory, majesty, sovereignty, infinity, eternity, The Trinity, The Holy Trinity, The Trinity in Unity, The Triune God, God the Father Son and Holy Ghost, God the Father, The Maker, The Creator, The Preserver, creation, preservation, divine government, Theocracy, Thearchy, providence, ways of Providence, dealings of Providence, dispensations of Providence, visitations of Providence, God the Son, Jesus, Christ, The Messiah, The Anointed, The Saviour, the Redeemer, The Mediator, The Intercessor, The Advocate, The Judge, The Son of God, The Son of Man, The Son of David, The Lamb of God, The Word, Logos, Emmanuel, Immanuel, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, The King of Glory, The Prince of Peace, The Good Shepherd, The Way, The Truth, The Life, The Bread of Life, The Light of the World, The Lord our, The Sun of Righteousness, The Pilot of the Galilean lake, The Incarnation, The Hypostatic Union, salvation, redemption, atonement, propitiation, mediation, intercession, judgment, God the Holy Ghost, The Holy Spirit, Paraclete, The Comforter, The Spirit of Truth, The Dove, inspiration, unction, regeneration, sanctification, consolation, eon, aeon, special providence, deus ex machina, avatar, almighty, holy, hallowed, sacred, divine, heavenly, celestial, sacrosanct, all-knowing, all-seeing, all-wise, omniscient, superhuman, supernatural, ghostly, spiritual, hyperphysical, unearthly, theistic, theocratic, anointed, soterial, Adj, jure divino, by divine right, Domine dirige nos, en Dieu est ma fiance, et sceleratis sol oritur, He mounts the storm and walks upon the wind, Thou great First Cause, least understood, sans Dieu rien.

Judeo-Christian Revelation

N Judeo-christian revelation, revelation, inspiration, afflatus, theophany, theopneusty, Word, Word of God, Scripture, the Scriptures, the Bible, Holy Writ, Holy Scriptures, inspired writings, Gospel, Old Testament, Septuagint, Vulgate, Pentateuch, Octateuch, the Law, the Jewish Law, the Prophets, major Prophets, minor Prophets, Hagiographa, Hagiology, Hierographa, Apocrypha, New Testament, Gospels, Evangelists, Acts, Epistles, Apocalypse, Revelations, Talmud, Mishna, Masorah, prophet, evangelist, apostle, disciple, saint, the Fathers, the Apostolical Fathers, Holy Men of old, inspired penmen, scriptural, biblical, sacred, prophetic, evangelical, evangelistic, apostolic, apostolical, inspired, theopneustic, theophneusted, apocalyptic, ecclesiastical, canonical, textuary.

Piety

N piety, religion, theism, faith, religiousness, holiness, saintship, religionism, sanctimony, reverence, humility, veneration, devotion, prostration, grace, unction, edification, sanctity, sanctitude, consecration, spiritual existence, odor of sanctity, beauty of holiness, theopathy, beatification, adoption, regeneration, conversion, justification, sanctification, salvation, inspiration, bread of life, Body and Blood of Christ, believer, convert, theist, Christian, devotee, pietist, the good, the righteous, the just, the believing, the elect, Saint, Madonna, Notre Dame, Our Lady, the children of God, the children of the Kingdom, the children of the light, pious, religious, devout, devoted, reverent, godly, heavenly- minded, humble, pure, holy, spiritual, pietistic, saintly, saint-like, seraphic, sacred, solemn, believing, faithful, Christian, Catholic, elected, adopted, justified, sanctified, regenerated, inspired, consecrated, converted, unearthly, not of the earth, ne vile fano, pure-eyed Faith, thou hovering angel girt with golden wings.

Repute

N repute, distinction, mark, name, figure, repute, reputation, good repute, high repute, note, notability, notoriety, eclat, the bubble reputation, vogue, celebrity, fame, famousness, renown, popularity, aura popularis, approbation, credit, succes d'estime, prestige, talk of the town, name to conjure with, glory, honor, luster, illustriousness, account, regard, respect, reputableness, respectability, good name, good report, fair name, dignity, stateliness, solemnity, grandeur, splendor, nobility, majesty, sublimity, rank, standing, brevet rank, precedence, pas, station, place, status, position, position in society, order, degree, baccalaureate, locus standi, caste, condition, greatness, eminence, height, importance, preeminence, supereminence, high mightiness, primacy, top of the ladder, top of the tree, elevation, ascent, superaltation, exaltation, dignification, aggrandizement, dedication, consecration, enthronement, canonization, celebration, enshrinement, glorification, hero, man of mark, great card, celebrity, worthy, lion, rara avis, notability, somebody, classman, man of rank, pillar of the state, pillar of the church, pillar of the community, chief, first fiddle, cynosure, mirror, flower, pink, pearl, paragon, choice and master spirits of the age, elite, star, sun, constellation, galaxy, ornament, honor, feather in one's cap, halo, aureole, nimbus, halo of glory, blaze of glory, blushing honors, laurels, memory, posthumous fame, niche in the temple of fame, immortality, immortal name, magni nominis umbra, distinguished, distingue, noted, of note, honored, popular, fashionable, in good odor in, favor, in high favor, reputable, respectable, creditable, remarkable, notable, notorious, celebrated, renowned, ion every one's mouth, talked of, famous, famed, far-famed, conspicuous, to the front, foremost, in the front rank, in the ascendant, imperishable, deathless, immortal, never fading, aere perennius, time honored, illustrious, glorious, splendid, brilliant, radiant, bright, full-blown, honorific, eminent, prominent, high, in the zenith, at the head of, at the top of the tree, peerless, of the first water, superior, supereminent, preeminent, great, dignified, proud, noble, honorable, worshipful, lordly, grand, stately, august, princely, imposing, solemn, transcendent, majestic, sacred, sublime, heaven- born, heroic, sans peur et sans reproche, sacrosanct, Int, hail!, all hail!, ave!, viva!, vive!, long life to!, banzai!, glory be to, honor be to?, one's name being in every mouth, one's name living for ever, sic itur ad astra, fama volat, aut Caesar aut nullus, not to know him argues oneself unknown, none but himself could be his parallel, palmam qui meruit ferat, above all Greek above all Roman fame, cineri gloria sera est, great is the glory for the strife is hard, honor virtutis praemium, immensum gloria calcar habet, the glory dies not and the grief is past, vivit post funera virtus.