piacular

American  

[pahy-ak-yuh-ler] / paɪˈæk jə lər /

adjective

1. expiatory; atoning; reparatory.

2. requiring expiation; sinful or wicked.

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piacular British  

/ paɪˈækjʊlə /

adjective

1. making expiation for a sacrilege

2. requiring expiation

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Other Word Forms

• piacularness
  noun
• piacularly
  adverb

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Etymology

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 -cle ², -ar ¹

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

piacular

The Carnea appears to have been at once agrarian, military and piacular in character.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 3 "Capefigue" to "Carneades" by Various

If live she must, through the five years of piacular sacrifice, why vitiate its efficacy by rebellious repining, that seemed an affront to the divine arbiter of human destinies?

From At the Mercy of Tiberius by Augusta J. (Augusta Jane) Evans

The idea of substitution is widespread among all early religions, and is found in honorific as well as piacular rites.

From The Eliminator; or, Skeleton Keys to Sacerdotal Secrets by Richard B. Westbrook

Thus, Hecaté was invoked as a dog, and dogs were her piacular sacrifices.

From The Eliminator; or, Skeleton Keys to Sacerdotal Secrets by Richard B. Westbrook

So in the piacular sacrifice when a clearing is made, the unknown deity is addressed in the last words of the prayer thus: "harum rerum ergo macte hoc porco piaculo immolando esto."

From The Religious Experience of the Roman People From the Earliest Times to the Age of Augustus by W. Warde Fowler

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