Adjacent Words

Sacrament definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SAC'RAMENT, n. [L. sacramentum, an oath, from sacer, sacred.]
1. Among ancient christian writers, a mystery. [Not in use.]
2. An oath; a ceremony producing an obligation; but not used in this general sense.
3. In present usage, an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace; or more particularly, a solemn religious ceremony enjoined by Christ, the head of the christian church, to be observed by his followers, by which their special relation to him is created, or their obligations to him renewed and ratified. Thus baptism is called a sacrament, for by it persons are separated from the world, brought into Christ's visible church, and laid under particular obligations to obey his precepts. The eucharist or communion of the Lord's supper, is also a sacrament, for by commemorating the death and dying love of Christ, christians avow their special relation to him, and renew their obligations to be faithful to their divine Master. When we use sacrament without any qualifying word, we mean by it,
4. The eucharist or Lord's supper.
SAC'RAMENT, v.t. To bind by an oath. [Not used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a formal religious ceremony conferring a specific grace on those who receive it; the two Protestant ceremonies are baptism and the Lord's Supper; in the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church there are seven traditional rites accepted as instituted by Jesus: baptism and confirmation and Holy Eucharist and penance and holy orders and matrimony and extreme unction

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English sacrement, sacrament, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin sacramentum, from Latin, oath of allegiance, obligation, from sacrare to consecrate Date: 13th century 1. a. a Christian rite (as baptism or the Eucharist) that is believed to have been ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality b. a religious rite or observance comparable to a Christian sacrament 2. capitalized a. communion 2a b. Blessed Sacrament 3. something likened to a religious sacrament <saw voting as a sacrament of democracy>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a religious ceremony or act of the Christian Churches regarded as an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace: applied by the Eastern, pre-Reformation Western, and Roman Catholic Churches to the seven rites of baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, extreme unction, ordination, and matrimony, but restricted by most Protestants to baptism and the Eucharist. 2 a thing of mysterious and sacred significance; a sacred influence, symbol, etc. 3 (also Blessed or Holy Sacrament) (prec. by the) a the Eucharist. b the consecrated elements, esp. the bread or Host. 4 an oath or solemn engagement taken. Etymology: ME f. OF sacrement f. L sacramentum solemn oath etc. f. sacrare hallow f. sacer SACRED, used in Christian L as transl. of Gk musterion MYSTERY(1)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Sacrament Sac"ra*ment, n. [L. sacramentum an oath, a sacred thing, a mystery, a sacrament, fr. sacrare to declare as sacred, sacer sacred: cf. F. sacrement. See Sacred.] 1. The oath of allegiance taken by Roman soldiers; hence, a sacred ceremony used to impress an obligation; a solemn oath-taking; an oath. [Obs.] I'll take the sacrament on't. --Shak. 2. The pledge or token of an oath or solemn covenant; a sacred thing; a mystery. [Obs.] God sometimes sent a light of fire, and pillar of a cloud . . . and the sacrament of a rainbow, to guide his people through their portion of sorrows. --Jer. Taylor. 3. (Theol.) One of the solemn religious ordinances enjoined by Christ, the head of the Christian church, to be observed by his followers; hence, specifically, the eucharist; the Lord's Supper. Syn: Sacrament, Eucharist. Usage: Protestants apply the term sacrament to baptism and the Lord's Supper, especially the latter. The R. Cath. and Greek churches have five other sacraments, viz., confirmation, penance, holy orders, matrimony, and extreme unction. As sacrament denotes an oath or vow, the word has been applied by way of emphasis to the Lord's Supper, where the most sacred vows are renewed by the Christian in commemorating the death of his Redeemer. Eucharist denotes the giving of thanks; and this term also has been applied to the same ordinance, as expressing the grateful remembrance of Christ's sufferings and death. ``Some receive the sacrament as a means to procure great graces and blessings; others as an eucharist and an office of thanksgiving for what they have received.'' --Jer. Taylor.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Sacrament Sac"ra*ment, v. t. To bind by an oath. [Obs.] --Laud.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(sacraments) 1. A sacrament is a Christian religious ceremony such as communion, baptism, or marriage. ...the holy sacrament of baptism. N-COUNT 2. In the Roman Catholic church, the Sacrament is the holy bread eaten at the Eucharist. In the Anglican church, the Sacrament is the holy bread and wine taken at Holy Communion. N-SING: the N

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Rite, ceremony, solemnity. 2. [With The prefixed.] Eucharist, communion, Lord's Supper.