Sacer

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. A term denoting something that is sacred or holy, often used in a religious or spiritual context
2. Referring to an object or place that possesses a divine significance, deserving of reverence and respect
3. Designating a concept that embodies the idea of sanctity, frequently applied in discussions of moral and ethical importance

Etymology: Latin "sacer" meant "sacred" but also, strikingly, "accursed." The same word could describe something set apart for the gods and something so polluted or dangerous that it was set apart from them. Ancient Rome had the "homo sacer," a person who could be killed by anyone without it counting as murder, yet could not be sacrificed to the gods, because they were already considered forfeit to the divine. The ambiguity reflects a shared idea: the sacred was a thing removed from ordinary human use, and whether that removal was blessing or banishment depended on the situation. The word is ancient in Latin and is generally traced to an Indo-European root meaning something like "holy" or "strong," though its exact early sense is debated. It survives in English mainly through derivatives such as "sacred," which entered English through Old French and Latin, and "sacrifice," from Latin "sacrificium," meaning the making sacred. English borrowed "sacer" itself only in specialized contexts, so most readers meet it through these relatives rather than directly.

Synonyms: sacred, holy

Antonyms: profane, secular