Synonyms

immolate

American

[im-uh-leyt] / ˈɪm əˌleɪt /

verb (used with object)

to sacrifice.
to kill as a sacrificial victim, as by fire; offer in sacrifice.
to destroy by fire.

immolate British

/ ˈɪməʊˌleɪt /

verb

to kill or offer as a sacrifice, esp by fire
literary to sacrifice (something highly valued)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of immolate

1540–50; < Latin immolātus, past participle of immolāre to sprinkle with holy meal prior to sacrificing, sacrifice, equivalent to im- im- ¹ + mol ( a ) sacrificial barley cake, literally, millstone ( see mill ¹) + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

Immolate is a verb that means to destroy something or someone, usually using fire, as a sacrifice to a higher cause. Do not try this at home. To protest the Vietnam War, some Buddhist monks would pour gasoline on their body, light a match, and immolate themselves, hoping that their fiery death would bring attention to the horror of war. The word comes from the Latin immolare, which means “sprinkled with sacrificial meal,” in reference to rituals where wheat grain would be sprinkled on the heads of human sacrifices. Immolation is a powerful statement, but talking it out is always a safer and less depressing option.

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