sacrament Hear it!

sacrament Definition

sac·ra·ment (sak′rə mənt)

noun

  1. Christianity any of certain rites instituted by Jesus and believed to be means of grace: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, holy orders, matrimony, and Anointing of the Sick are the seven recognized by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches; Protestants generally recognize only baptism and the Lord's Supper (the Eucharist)
  2. the Eucharist, or Holy Communion; also, the consecrated bread and wine, or sometimes the bread alone, used in the Eucharist
  3. something regarded as having a sacred character or mysterious meaning
  4. Archaic
    1. a symbol or token
    2. a solemn oath or pledge

Etymology: ME < OFr sacrement < LL(Ec) sacramentum, the gospel, a secret, sacrament (used as transl. of Gr mystērion) < L, an oath of allegiance, orig., sum deposited by the two parties to a suit < sacrare, to consecrate < sacer, sacred

sacrament Synonyms

sacrament

n.

  1. Christian rites

    holy observance, ceremonial, ritual, liturgy, act of divine worship, mystery, the mysteries; see also ceremony 2.

    In the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches the seven sacraments are: baptism; confirmation; confession or reconciliation or penance; Holy Communion or the Eucharist; anointing of the sick or the laying on of hands or sacrament of the sick or extreme unction; holy orders; matrimony.

  2. The Eucharist and the bread and wine used in it

    the body and the blood of Christ, holy wafer, the Host, the elements; see communion 2.

  3. A sacred symbol or token

    pledge, bond, vow; see oath 1, promise 1.

sacrament Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • baptism: Sacrament of Baptism - Catholicism Open preview window forum | .. .
  • Eucharist: This double movement of the life of charity finds its ultimate expression in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
  • penance: The same could be said of the sacrament of penance.
  • reconciliation: Once a week the person tries to get to the sacrament of reconciliation.
  • confirmation: Bishop Howard Tripp, who presided at our ceremony of the Sacrament of Confirmation on 30 May 2004.

Converse of object

  • confer: In the evening of 28 March at 7.00pm the Bishop will confer the Sacrament of Confirmation.
  • administer: How often do you administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper?
  • bless: My brother Taylor read prayers, and assisted at the truly blessed sacrament.
  • celebrate: The United Reformed Church celebrates the gospel sacrament of the Lord's Supper.
  • receive: Some people may wish to receive the Sacrament on behalf of others.
  • call: Now in our series on the church we come today to the subject of what are called the sacraments.

Adjective modifier

  • blessed: The Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament " To speak of the Blessed Sacrament is to speak of what is most sacred.
  • dominical: Eucharist in a mission context The church will be Eucharistic because this is a dominical sacrament.
  • reserved: Some parish based Anglican or Catholic communities are able to draw on reserved sacrament which can then be administered by lay persons.
  • holy: The ointment is the third of the three holy sacraments explained.
  • religious: Among all nations, from the very earliest period, water has been used as a species of religious sacrament.

Modifies a noun

font: St Mary's glorious seven sacrament font - a saving remnant of old Catholic England.

Noun used with modifier

gospel: The same is true of the promises of God, whether written or spoken or in the form of the gospel sacraments.