Sacrosanctities

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Things considered sacred or inviolable; principles or practices deemed worthy of utmost respect and protection in a religious or moral context
2. Sacred objects or beliefs that are regarded as untouchable; aspects of a system that cannot be criticized or violated due to their importance
3. Elements that possess a high level of sanctity; things held in extreme reverence, often requiring careful preservation from harm or disrespect

Etymology: "Sacrosanctities" is simply the plural of "sacrosanctity," so it names more than one instance of the quality of being sacrosanct. The base word comes from Latin "sacrosanctus," meaning "made holy by sacred law" or "inviolable," built from "sacer" ("holy, sacred") and "sanctus" ("consecrated, holy"). In Roman usage, the idea was practical as much as religious: sacred persons and objects were protected by law, and harming them carried serious penalties. English took the base word, "sacrosanct," and added the suffix "-ity," which descends through Old French "-ite" from Latin "-itas," a common way of turning an adjective into a noun for a quality or state. "Sacrosanctity" followed the same pattern, forming a noun for the condition of being sacrosanct. Adding a plural ending then yields "sacrosanctities," which, in its usual sense, refers to multiple sacred things or matters rather than an abstract quality.