verb
consecrate
KON-suhk-rayt
Consecrate (verb) means to declare something sacred through a formal or religious ceremony. Example: “The bishop consecrated the new chapel on Sunday morning.”
verb
1
To declare something sacred through a formal or religious ceremony.
"The bishop consecrated the new chapel on Sunday morning."
"They consecrated the ground before burying the fallen soldiers."
2
To ordain someone into a high religious office, such as a bishop.
"He was consecrated as bishop after decades of service to the parish."
3
To devote oneself or one's time completely to a cause or purpose.
"She consecrated her life to helping refugees."
adjective
1
Made sacred; set apart for a holy purpose.
"Only consecrated wine is used in the ceremony."
How to use consecrate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make something officially holy or to fully dedicate yourself to something important.
Common pairings
consecrate a church
consecrate a bishop
consecrated ground
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like consecrate.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- consecrates
- Past tense
- consecrated
- Comparative
- more consecrate
- Superlative
- most consecrate
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The bishop _____ the new chapel on Sunday morning.
Etymology
From Latin consecrare, "to make completely sacred" — con- ("thoroughly") plus sacrare ("to hallow"), the same root as "sacred."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for consecrate
See all rhymes for consecrate →Frequently asked questions
What does “consecrate” mean?
The word “consecrate” means to declare something sacred through a formal or religious ceremony. In plain terms, to make something officially holy or to fully dedicate yourself to something important.
How do you pronounce “consecrate”?
“Consecrate” is pronounced KON-suhk-rayt (/ˈkɑnsəkɹeɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “consecrate” in a sentence?
Here is “consecrate” used in a sentence: “The bishop consecrated the new chapel on Sunday morning.”
What is another word for “consecrate”?
Words with a similar meaning to “consecrate” include avow, behallow, bless, canonize, dedicate and hallow.
What is the opposite of “consecrate”?
The opposite of “consecrate” — its antonyms — are deconsecrate, desacralize, desecrate, profane and uncanonize.
What part of speech is “consecrate”?
Depending on how it is used, “consecrate” can be a verb and an adjective.
Where does the word “consecrate” come from?
The word “consecrate” comes from Latin. From Latin consecrare, "to make completely sacred" — con- ("thoroughly") plus sacrare ("to hallow"), the same root as "sacred.".
How many meanings does “consecrate” have?
“Consecrate” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to declare something sacred through a formal or religious ceremony.
