Added 9 October 2026
sacrifice
/ˈsæk.ɹɪ.faɪs/ noun
In Latin: sacrificium, victima, hostia Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about sacrifice at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Originally, the killing (and often burning) of a human being or an animal as an offering to a deity; later, also the offering of an object to a deity. A human being or an animal, or a physical object or immaterial thing (see etymology 1 sense 1.3), offered to a deity. The offering of devotion, penitence, prayer, thanksgiving, etc., to a deity. Jesus Christ's voluntary offering of himself to God the Father to be crucified as atonement for the sins of humankind. The rite of Holy Communion or the Mass, regarded as an offering of thanksgiving to God for Christ's crucifixion, or a perpetual re-presentation of Christ's sacrificial offering.
- Originally, the killing (and often burning) of a human being or an animal as an offering to a deity; later, also the offering of an object to a deity.
- A human being or an animal, or a physical object or immaterial thing (see etymology 1 sense 1.3), offered to a deity.
verb
-
To offer (a human being or an animal, or an object) to a deity.
Venison has many advantages over meat from factory farms, although it still requires a hunter to sacrifice the life of a deer.
- To offer (a human being or an animal, or an object) to a deity.
-
To destroy or kill (a human being or an animal); specifically , to kill (an animal) for a scientific experiment or test. To destroy or surrender (something) for the sake of something else regarded as more urgent or valuable.
Venison has many advantages over meat from factory farms, although it still requires a hunter to sacrifice the life of a deer.
Origin
From Middle English sacrifice (“act of offering a life or object to a deity; the life or object so offered”), from Anglo-Norman sacrefiz, and Old French sacrifice, sacrifise (modern French sacrifice), from Latin sacrificium (“something offered to a deity, sacrifice”), from sacrum (“sacrifice, sacrificial rite”) + faciō (“to do, to make”) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns). The noun sacrum is the nominalized neuter of the adjective sacer (“devoted to a deity for sacrifice; holy, sacred”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seh₂k- (“ceremony, ritual; to make sacred”), and the verb faciō is ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to do; to place, put”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)