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sacramental

American  
[sak-ruh-men-tl] / ˌsæk rəˈmɛn tl /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or of the nature of a sacrament, especially the sacrament of the Eucharist.

  2. powerfully binding.

    a sacramental obligation.


noun

  1. Roman Catholic Church. an action, as the sign of the cross, a ceremony resembling a sacrament, or a sacred object, regarded as being instituted by the church rather than by Christ and serving as a means of receiving sanctifying grace.

sacramental British  
/ ˌsækrəmɛnˈtælɪtɪ, ˌsækrəˈmɛntəl /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or having the nature of a sacrament

  2. bound by or as if by a sacrament

"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

noun

  1. RC Church a sacrament-like ritual action, such as the sign of the cross or the use of holy water

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of sacramental

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word sacrāmentālis. See sacrament, -al 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

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

Indeed, sacramental wine is traditionally red, by analogy with the blood of Christ.

From Salon Jul. 15, 2024

Often movies end up grappling with whether the words, rites and sacramental objects of the Catholic church have power of their own, regardless of the beliefs and righteousness of the wielder.

From New York Times Jun. 20, 2024

This is because the Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a lifelong sacramental union between a man and woman.

From Seattle Times Dec. 18, 2023

In his final piece, Parsifal, of 1882, Wagner turned the theatre into a temple, the plot into a sacramental ritual and the leitmotifs he bestowed with sacred power.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

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