sacrifice

[ sak-ruh-fahys ]

/ ˈsæk rəˌfaɪs /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage.

the person, animal, or thing so offered.

the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.

the thing so surrendered or devoted.

a loss incurred in selling something below its value.

Also called sacrifice bunt, sacrifice hit. Baseball. a bunt made when there are fewer than two players out, not resulting in a double play, that advances the base runner nearest home without an error being committed if there is an attempt to put the runner out, and that results in either the batter's being put out at first base, reaching first on an error made in the attempt for the put-out, or being safe because of an attempt to put out another runner.

verb (used with object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

to make a sacrifice or offering of.

to surrender or give up, or permit injury or disadvantage to, for the sake of something else.

to dispose of (goods, property, etc.) regardless of profit.

Baseball. to cause the advance of (a base runner) by a sacrifice.

verb (used without object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

Baseball. to make a sacrifice: He sacrificed with two on and none out.

to offer or make a sacrifice.

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Origin of sacrifice

1225–75; (noun) Middle English < Old French < Latin sacrificium, equivalent to sacri- (combining form of sacer holy) + -fic-, combining form of facere to make, do¹ + -ium -ium; (v.) Middle English sacrifisen, derivative of the noun

SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice

8 relinquish, forgo, renounce.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM sacrifice

sac·ri·fice·a·ble, adjectivesac·ri·fic·er, nounnon·sac·ri·fice, nounnon·sac·ri·fic·ing, adjective

pre·sac·ri·fice, noun, verb, pre·sac·ri·ficed, pre·sac·ri·fic·ing.su·per·sac·ri·fice, noun, verb (used with object), su·per·sac·ri·ficed, su·per·sac·ri·fic·ing.un·sac·ri·fice·a·ble, adjectiveun·sac·ri·ficed, adjectiveun·sac·ri·fic·ing, adjectivewell-sac·ri·ficed, adjective

Words nearby sacrifice

sacred order, sacred roman rota, sacred site, sacred thread, sacred writ, sacrifice, sacrifice fly, sacrifice paddock, sacrificial, sacrificial anode, sacrilege

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for sacrificed

The Good Wife leaves us wondering how many people have sacrificed their beliefs for their careers.
The Good Wife’s Religion Politics: Voters Have No Faith in Alicia's Atheism|Regina Lizik|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
According to Doha News, it was around this time that Al-Thani sacrificed his Supercomplication watch to pay for the debts.
The Mysterious Death of the Art World’s Favorite Sheikh|Lizzie Crocker|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Predictably, state funding for mental health services is sacrificed during downturns, like the Recession we just experienced.
Government Has Failed the Mentally Ill|Monica Potts|September 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They were presumably brought down and sacrificed in ATM to help garner favor for a possibly ailing community.
The Cave Where Mayans Sacrificed Humans Is Open for Visitors|Nina Strochlic|August 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The adorned temple of Haldi was described as having multiple gates, where large numbers of animals were sacrificed.
Iraq’s Long-Lost Mythical Temple Has Been Found…and Is In Danger of Disappearing Again|Nina Strochlic|July 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She had sacrificed herself to him; therefore he had sacrificed himself to her.
When Ghost Meets Ghost|William Frend De Morgan
Then he sacrificed young men and maidens: but the blood still bubbled.
The Expositor's Bible|F. W. Farrar
But "I have sacrificed the pleasure of meeting my loved ones, and given up all, for the good of this people."
The Story of a Life|J. Breckenridge Ellis
Robespierre might have saved Danton: he preferred to let him be sacrificed.
The French Revolution|Hilaire Belloc
And yet, after the stress of war, she had sacrificed all that she held most dear in order to become the friend of Weirmarsh.
The Doctor of Pimlico|William Le Queux

British Dictionary definitions for sacrificed

sacrifice

/ (ˈsækrɪˌfaɪs) /

noun

a surrender of something of value as a means of gaining something more desirable or of preventing some evil

a ritual killing of a person or animal with the intention of propitiating or pleasing a deity

a symbolic offering of something to a deity

the person, animal, or object surrendered, destroyed, killed, or offered

a religious ceremony involving one or more sacrifices

loss entailed by giving up or selling something at less than its value

chess the act or an instance of sacrificing a piece

verb

to make a sacrifice (of); give up, surrender, or destroy (a person, thing, etc)

chess to permit or force one's opponent to capture (a piece) freely, as in playing a combination or gambithe sacrificed his queen and checkmated his opponent on the next move

Derived forms of sacrifice

sacrificeable, adjectivesacrificer, noun

Word Origin for sacrifice

C13: via Old French from Latin sacrificium, from sacer holy + facere to make

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

sacrifice

noun

verb (used with object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

verb (used without object), sac·ri·ficed, sac·ri·fic·ing.

QUIZZES

CAN YOU ACE THIS QUIZ ABOUT “COMPLIMENT” VS. “COMPLEMENT”?

Origin of sacrifice

SYNONYMS FOR sacrifice

OTHER WORDS FROM sacrifice

Words nearby sacrifice

Words related to sacrificed

Example sentences from the Web for sacrificed

British Dictionary definitions for sacrificed

noun

verb

Derived forms of sacrifice

Word Origin for sacrifice