Where does “sacred” come from?
Sacred comes from Middle English sacren, from Old French sacrer, from Latin sacro, derived from the adjective Latin sacer meaning set apart or holy, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European seh₂k-.
sacred (English): Characterized by solemn religious ceremony or...
Definitions
- Characterized by solemn religious ceremony or...
Ancestry of “sacred”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | sacred | — |
| 2 | Middle English | sacren | To consecrate, especially with reference to the... |
| 3 | Old French | sacrer | to consecrate, anoint, dedicate; to hallow |
| 4 | Latin | sacrō | to declare or set apart as sacred; consecrate, dedicate, hallow or devote; sanctify, enshrine |
| 5 | Latin | sacer | sacred, holy, dedicated (to a divinity), consecrated, hallowed |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sh₂krós | sacred |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | seh₂k- | sacred |