sacrament

[ sak-ruh-muhnt ]

noun

1. Ecclesiastical. a visible sign of an inward grace, especially one of the solemn Christian rites considered to have been instituted by Jesus Christ to symbolize or confer grace: the sacraments of the Protestant churches are baptism and the Lord's Supper; the sacraments of the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches are baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, matrimony, penance, holy orders, and extreme unction.
2. (often initial capital letter) Also called Holy Sacrament. the Eucharist or Lord's Supper.
3. the consecrated elements of the Eucharist, especially the bread.
4. something regarded as possessing a sacred character or mysterious significance.
5. a sign, token, or symbol.
6. an oath; solemn pledge.

sacrament

/ ˈsækrəmənt /

noun

1. an outward sign combined with a prescribed form of words and regarded as conferring some specific grace upon those who receive it. The Protestant sacraments are baptism and the Lord's Supper. In the Roman Catholic and Eastern Churches they are baptism, penance, confirmation, the Eucharist, holy orders, matrimony, and the anointing of the sick (formerly extreme unction)
2. often capital the Eucharist
3. the consecrated elements of the Eucharist, esp the bread
4. something regarded as possessing a sacred or mysterious significance
5. a symbol; pledge

sacrament

1. A religious ceremony or rite. Most Christian churches reserve the term for those rites that Jesus himself instituted, but there are disagreements between them on which rites those are. The Lutheran Church , for example, maintains that baptism and Communion are the only sacraments, whereas in the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church , there are five more: confirmation; confession ; anointing of the sick; the ordination of clergy; and the marriage of Christians.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sacrament¹

1150–1200; Middle English < Medieval Latin sacrāmentum obligation, oath, Late Latin: mystery, rite, equivalent to Latin sacrā ( re ) to devote + -mentum -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of sacrament¹

C12: from Church Latin sacrāmentum vow, from Latin sacrāre to consecrate

Example Sentences

At Sunday services, called sacrament meetings, women also play a lesser role.

From The Daily Beast

With few clear answers, the avoidance of ambiguity became a bureaucratic sacrament.

From The Daily Beast

Our procession was, however, a more solemn one on the day of Corpus Christi when we carried about the blessed Sacrament.

From Project Gutenberg

Seventy marble altars, among them an altar of the Holy Sacrament which had been forty years in building, were destroyed.

From Project Gutenberg

There is among the Catholics another sacrament, which contains the most strange mysteries.

From Project Gutenberg

Day by day in the camp Mass was celebrated, and the Holy Sacrament given to all who asked and came.

From Project Gutenberg

Rarely, if ever, has there been a more ghastly profanation of the Holy Sacrament of Regeneration!

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• communion
• liturgy