piacular

[ pahy-ak-yuh-ler ]

adjective

expiatory; atoning; reparatory.
requiring expiation; sinful or wicked.

Origin of piacular

First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin piāculāris “(of a rite or sacrifice) expiatory, atoning,” equivalent to piācul(um) “expiatory offering, sacrificial victim,” derivative of piā(re) “to propitiate a god, expiate,” derivative of pius “dutiful, faithful (to the gods, one’s country, family, kindred and friends)” + -culum neuter noun suffix for instruments and places + -āris adjective suffix; see -cle²,-ar¹

Other words from piacular

pi·ac·u·lar·ly, adverb
pi·ac·u·lar·ness, noun

Words Nearby piacular

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use piacular in a sentence

Where, on the other hand, the victim is a fellow tribesman, the sacrifice is expiatory or piacular.
Myth, Ritual, and Religion, Vol. 1 | Andrew Lang
piacular, pī-ak′ū-lar, adj. serving to appease, expiatory: requiring expiation: atrociously bad.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) | Various
The Carnea appears to have been at once agrarian, military and piacular in character.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 3 | Various
Henry Williams was thus marked out more distinctly than ever as the piacular victim or scapegoat of the mission.
A History of the English Church in New Zealand | Henry Thomas Purchas
Mourning offers us a first and important example of piacular rites.
The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life | Emile Durkheim

British Dictionary definitions for piacular

piacular

/ (paɪˈækjʊlə) /

adjective

making expiation for a sacrilege
requiring expiation

Origin of piacular

C17: from Latin piāculum propitiatory sacrifice, from piāre to appease

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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