consecrate

American  

[kon-si-kreyt] / ˈkɒn sɪˌkreɪt /

verb (used with object)

consecrated, consecrating

1. to make or declare sacred; set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity.

   to consecrate a new church building.

   Antonyms:

   desecrate

2. to make (something) an object of honor or veneration; hallow.

   a custom consecrated by time.

   Synonyms:

   venerate, sanctify

3. to devote or dedicate to some purpose.

   a life consecrated to science.

4. to admit or ordain to a sacred office, especially to the episcopate.

5. to change (bread and wine) into the Eucharist.

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adjective

1. consecrated; sacred

consecrate British  

/ ˈkɒnsɪˌkreɪt, ˌkɒnsɪˈkreɪtərɪ /

verb

1. to make or declare sacred or holy; sanctify

2. to dedicate (one's life, time, etc) to a specific purpose

3. to ordain (a bishop)

4. Christianity to sanctify (bread and wine) for the Eucharist to be received as the body and blood of Christ

5. to cause to be respected or revered; venerate

   time has consecrated this custom

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adjective

1. archaic consecrated

Related Words

See devote. See holy.

Other Word Forms

• consecrater noun
• consecration noun
• consecrative adjective
• consecrator noun
• consecratory adjective
• deconsecrate verb (used with object)
• preconsecrate verb (used with object)
• reconsecrate verb (used with object)
• unconsecrative adjective

Etymology

Origin of consecrate

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English consecraten, from Latin consecrātus (past participle of consecrāre ), equivalent to con- + -secr- (variant, in noninitial syllables, of sacer “consecrated, holy”) + -ātus, past participle suffix; see origin at con-, sacred, -ate ¹

Explanation

Consecrate means to make holy or to dedicate to a higher purpose. You need to consecrate a building to turn it into a church, but you can also consecrate a week in New York City to the pursuit of the perfect bagel. The secr part of consecrate comes from the Latin sacer "sacred." Remember that something consecrated is dedicated to God and thus sacred. And then remember that the meanings of words tend to stretch; over time this one moved from "dedicated to God" to "dedicated to whatever": jelly donuts, the perfect tan, finding a solution to Rubik's Cube.

Example Sentences

Capote perfectly captures the sacramental quality of the holiday—how, through the exhaustive labor of polishing and scrubbing, we consecrate the routine rooms of daily existence into a sanctuary for celebration.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

Does Ocean fortify and consecrate his work by refusing to put more of it into the world?

From Washington Post • Apr. 24, 2023

Early converts to what was originally called the Church of Christ, organized in 1830, were encouraged to consecrate all their goods to their new religious community so it could redistribute resources to those in need.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2023

Cascading from the table’s edge is a manumission document releasing a family named Moore from chattel slavery as burning incense and a nearby plate of water quietly consecrate the sober scene.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2022

At church he has the power to forgive sins and consecrate the host.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• beatify
• bless
• dedicate
• ordain
• sanctify