Sacerdotal

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌsæs.ə(ɹ)ˈdəʊ.təl/

Definitions

1. Relating to priests or the priesthood, especially in a formal or ceremonial context
2. Connected with the role, duties, or status of a priest within religious ceremonies or institutions
3. Associated with the office and functions of priests, especially regarding sacred rites or church responsibilities

Etymology: "Sacerdotal" travels a path from Roman religious life into English through French. Its Latin ancestor, "sacerdōtālis," means "priestly," built from "sacerdōs," the Latin word for priest, which itself combines "sacer" (sacred) with a root meaning to give or do, so a priest was essentially one who performs sacred acts. The adjective passed into Middle English as "sacerdotale," having come through Old French "sacerdotal," and in English it has stayed narrowly tied to its original job of describing the priesthood and its functions. Because the word is a direct inheritance of the Latin adjective rather than a later coinage, its meaning has changed very little over the centuries. Where many religious terms drifted toward figurative senses, "sacerdotal" kept the plain sense of "relating to priests," so a sacerdotal duty, robe, or authority is still exactly what the Romans would have recognised as priestly.

Synonyms: priestly, clerical, religious, ecclesiastical, sacred

Antonyms: secular, lay, nonreligious, profane, mundane