sacrament

noun

sac·​ra·​ment ˈsa-krə-mənt How to pronounce sacrament (audio)
1
a
: a Christian rite (such as baptism or the Eucharist) that is believed to have been ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality
b
: a religious rite or observance comparable to a Christian sacrament
2
3
: something likened to a religious sacrament
saw voting as a sacrament of democracy

Examples of sacrament in a Sentence

They stood in line to receive the Sacrament.
Recent Examples on the Web The consumption of the casualties, so to speak, was portrayed in that 1993 film as a form of Eucharist (a comparison made by at least one of the 16 eventual real-life survivors, in answer to their critics) and the meal as a sacrament. John Anderson, WSJ, 2 Jan. 2024 We’re gathered for a weird communion: to receive the sacraments from the wry cowboy prophet, Bob Weir, to lay roses and skulls before the shrine of St. Jerome Garcia, to fare Dead & Company well. Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023 It’s evidenced when boys, and only boys, pass the sacrament as a part of the faith’s most reverent and repeated rite every Sunday, while the girls sit on the chapel benches to await the renewal of covenants at the hands of boys. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023 Blessings are signposts to the sacraments, not substitutes for them. Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 24 Dec. 2023 But Martin and others interpreted the text as standing permission to hold such services inside Catholic churches, as long as they were framed in ways that avoided a reference to a Catholic sacrament or liturgical ritual. Stefano Pitrelli, Washington Post, 18 Dec. 2023 When Nativity School of Worcester refused to take the flags down, McManus said it could no longer be called a Catholic school, and stripped Nativity of the right to celebrate Mass and the sacraments. Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 30 Aug. 2023 Raised as Catholic, Maya said she wasn’t allowed to have sacraments that a priest brought her, including Holy Communion. Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 10 Oct. 2023 Many conservatives have blasted Francis' emphasis instead on social justice issues such as the environment and the poor, while also branding as heretical his opening to letting divorced and civilly remarried Catholics receive the sacraments. CBS News, 28 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sacrament.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sacrement, sacrament, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin sacramentum, from Latin, oath of allegiance, obligation, from sacrare to consecrate

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sacrament was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near sacrament

Cite this Entry

“Sacrament.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrament. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sacrament

noun
sac·​ra·​ment ˈsak-rə-mənt How to pronounce sacrament (audio)
1
: a religious act that is a sign or symbol of a spiritual existence
2
capitalized : blessed sacrament
sacramental
ˌsak-rə-ˈment-ᵊl
adjective
sacramentally
-ᵊl-ē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on sacrament

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