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View synonyms for sacrificial

sacrificial

[ sak-ruh-fish-uhl ]

adjective

  1. pertaining to or concerned with sacrifice.


sacrificial

/ ˌsækrɪˈfɪʃəl /

adjective

  1. used in or connected with a sacrifice
“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


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Derived Forms

  • ˌsacriˈficially, adverb
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Other Words From

  • sacri·ficial·ly adverb
  • nonsac·ri·ficial adjective
  • over·sacri·ficial adjective
  • over·sacri·ficial·ly adverb
  • presac·ri·ficial adjective
  • unsac·ri·ficial adjective
  • unsac·ri·ficial·ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of sacrificial1

1600–10; < Latin sacrifici ( um ) sacrifice + -al 1
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Example Sentences

On occasions, the Aztecs reached a status-quo agreement with the mighty Tlaxcalans which outlined that the Xochiyaoyotl would be conducted in a bid to capture sacrificial prisoners, as opposed to conquering lands and taking away resources.

Kendall’s father even gives him a Judas-like kiss before sending him back to New York as the family’s sacrificial lamb.

From Time

By all appearances, he was the sort of sacrificial lamb candidate that a party shrugs at, running for a seat the party doesn’t expect to win.

I know it’s relatively safe here compared to other jobs, but still, sometimes I feel like a sacrificial lamb.

From Time

I know this is the word used in English but “Holocaust” has a sacrificial overtone that is unbearable to me.

That still exists, but the sacrificial style in American politics is just as strong.

According to anthropologist René Girard, cultures require sacrificial victims in order to avoid epidemic revenge feuds.

She got to be the designated sacrificial lamb to run against Joe Biden in 2008, and got 35 percent of the vote.

Colonel Sanders, image forever accompanied odor of sacrificial meat.

Kettlewell used to dilate on the great sacrificial feast of charity.

This presents a nobler view of the whole sacrificial system than the common one.

Professor Fortescue was unqualified in his condemnation of the sentiment which erected sacrificial altars in the family circle.

Among the antediluvians, sheep were immolated for sacrificial offerings, and their fleeces probably furnished them with clothing.

Thou shalt not go up by steps unto Mine altar—a device probably meant to facilitate the leading up of the sacrificial beasts.

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More About Sacrificial

What does sacrificial mean?

Sacrificial is used to describe things that involve a sacrifice—something important or precious that is given up for the sake of gaining something or allowing something to happen that is considered more important.

The thing being sacrificed can be tangible, like a valued object, or intangible, like time or health, as in, I would never sacrifice my health just to make more money.

The words sacrifice and sacrificial are often used in the context of religious offerings. Such a sacrifice might be an animal that is killed and offered to a god or gods.

The term sacrificial lamb is a reference to such religious sacrifices and is often used in a metaphorical way to refer to someone who is sacrificed in some way for the benefit of others. The term is often used in overlapping ways with the word scapegoat.

Example: Archaeologists think the site was once used for sacrificial rituals.

Where does sacrificial come from?

The first records of the word sacrificial come from the 1600s. The suffix -al makes it an adjective form of sacrifice, which comes from the Latin sacrificium, from sacer, meaning “holy,” and facere, meaning “to make.” The root sacer is also the basis for words like sacred and sacrilege.

Sacrifice is commonly used outside of religious contexts. Sacrificial can also be used in general ways, but it is perhaps most closely associated with its religious uses. The central figure of Christianity, Jesus, is viewed by Christians as a sacrificial figure who served as a sacrifice for the sake of human salvation.

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What are some other forms related to sacrificial?

  • sacrificially (adverb)
  • sacrifice (noun, verb)

What are some words that share a root or word element with sacrificial

What are some words that often get used in discussing sacrificial?

How is sacrificial used in real life?

The word sacrificial can be used in many different contexts. It is closely associated with religious uses.

Try using sacrificial!

Is sacrificial used correctly in the following sentence?

The move is widely seen as sacrificial—he is giving up some of his holdings in order to make gains elsewhere.

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