sacrosanct
Americanadjective
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extremely sacred or inviolable.
a sacrosanct chamber in the temple.
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not to be entered or trespassed upon.
She considered her home office sacrosanct.
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above or beyond criticism, change, or interference.
a manuscript deemed sacrosanct.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sacrosanct
First recorded in 1595–1605, sacrosanct is from Latin sacrō sānctus “made holy by sacred rite.” See sacred, saint
Explanation
You might be enraged at the idea of doing homework on a Saturday if you consider your weekends sacrosanct — meaning they are too special or important to interrupt. Sacrosanct is often used to describe religious rituals and traditions, which isn’t surprising considering that this adjective comes from the Latin word for something that is protected by a religious sanction. A church, for example, might consider its Sunday service to be sacrosanct — a very important and holy ritual that cannot be changed or canceled. It’s a bad idea to criticize or change any custom or tradition that people consider sacrosanct — they won’t be happy about it.
Vocabulary lists containing sacrosanct
This Week in Words: September 1 - 7, 2018
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This Week In Words: September 28–October 4, 2019
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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.
Some commenters rushed to Ware’s defense, airing their own frustrations and experiences with people who violate an unwritten but sacrosanct rule among serious filmgoers: Phones need to be silenced and stay off during a movie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
Two years ago, the bosses canceled a sacrosanct German jobs guarantee and argued that Volkswagen needed to take the unprecedented step of closing a German factory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Civic agencies are often reluctant to widen footpaths because they view carriageway space as sacrosanct.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
Turner, who died Wednesday at age 87, elbowed his way to the forefront of modern television by prioritizing profit over deeper questions about whether certain cultural totems should be held sacrosanct.
From Salon ● May 8, 2026
Fugacious, tourbillion, moiety, repugn, sacrosanct, censure, morass, El Dorado, and turpitude.
From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
