sacrament Definition
sac·ra·ment (sak′rə mənt)
noun
- 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)
- the Eucharist, or Holy Communion; also, the consecrated bread and wine, or sometimes the bread alone, used in the Eucharist
- something regarded as having a sacred character or mysterious meaning
- Archaic
- a symbol or token
- 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.
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.
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.A sacred symbol or token
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.
Browse dictionary entries near sacrament
- ‹ sacralize
- ‹ sacral
- ‹ sacque
- ‹ Sackville-West,Vita (Victoria Mary)
- ‹ Sackville-West,Vita
- ‹ Sackville
- ‹ Sacks, Oliver Wolf
- ‹ Sacks,Jonathan
- ‹ sacking
- ‹ sackful
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