Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Made, declared, or believed to be holy; devoted to a deity or some religious ceremony or use: Describes something that has been formally dedicated to a sacred purpose, often through a religious rite.
   • Solemnly dedicated to or set apart for a high purpose: Describes something or someone that has been devoted entirely to a serious, noble, or important goal, often in a non-religious context.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective (Religious Context):
  • The bishop performed the ceremony at the newly consecrated church.
  • Only consecrated wine is used during the sacrament.
• Adjective (Dedicated Purpose Context):
  • She led a life consecrated to helping the poor.
  • The memorial is ground consecrated to the memory of fallen soldiers.

Advanced Usage

• "to be consecrated to": to be formally dedicated or devoted to a specific purpose or ideal.
  • His entire career was consecrated to the pursuit of justice.
• "newly/consecrated ground": land that has been formally declared sacred or dedicated for a solemn purpose.
  • The victims were buried in consecrated ground.

Variants and Related Words

• Consecrate (verb): To make or declare something sacred; to dedicate formally to a religious or divine purpose.
  • The priest will consecrate the altar.
• Consecration (noun): The action of making or declaring something sacred.
  • The consecration of the cathedral was a major event.

Synonyms

• Sacred: Connected with God or a god; considered holy.
• Sanctified: Made holy; consecrated.
• Hallowed: Made holy; honored as sacred.
• Dedicated: Devoted to a task or purpose.

Antonyms

• Desecrated: Treated with violent disrespect; violated.
• Profane: Not connected with religious or spiritual matters; secular.
• Secular: Not subject to or bound by religious rule; not relating to religion.

Related Phrases

• "Consecrated life": In religious contexts, a life dedicated to service within a church or religious order.
  • She took vows to enter a consecrated life.

Adjective

1. made or declared or believed to be holy; devoted to a deity or some religious ceremony or use
   • a consecrated church
   • the sacred mosque
   • sacred elephants
   • sacred bread and wine
   • sanctified wine
2. solemnly dedicated to or set apart for a high purpose
   • a life consecrated to science
   • the consecrated chapel
   • a chapel dedicated to the dead of World War II