sacred
Definitions
Holy; connected with a god or religion and deserving great respect.
神圣的；与神或宗教相关、值得崇敬的。
Regarded as too important or precious to be changed or interfered with.
神圣不可侵犯的；不容改动或干涉的。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedStraight from Latin sacer, 'set apart for a god.' The -ed ending makes it an adjective: something sacred has been set apart from ordinary use and given to the divine — hence holy, untouchable. The secular sense ('a sacred tradition') keeps the idea of being too precious to touch.
Root sacr still carries 10 more wordsWhy It Means This
Sacred and secret are not related, despite looking alike. Sacred is about holiness (sacer); secret is about being hidden (secernere, 'to set apart' in a different sense). Sacred's core image is a boundary line: inside it, things belong to the gods and may not be treated like ordinary objects.
Common Collocations
- 1.sacred ground圣地
- 2.sacred text圣典／圣书
- 3.hold sacred视为神圣
- 4.sacred duty神圣职责
- 5.sacred site圣址
Example Sentences
- 1.
For many cultures, the mountain is a sacred site of worship.
- 2.
In their family, Sunday dinner is sacred and never skipped.
- 3.
The ancient texts are considered sacred by millions of believers.
Easily Confused
sacred vs holy — Both mean connected with the divine. Holy carries an inner quality of purity and goodness (a holy man, the Holy Spirit). Sacred is about being set apart and protected from violation, and works for secular things too (a sacred promise). You hold something sacred; you call a person holy.