sacrum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈsa.krũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsaː.krum]^[1]

Forms

sacrum n (genitive sacrī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of sacer “sacred”, used as a noun.^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨sacer⟩ to Proto-Italic *sakro- (“sacred”), from Proto-Indo-European *sh₂k-ro- (“sacred”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Plautus, whom the OLD cites for a holy place.^[4][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a sacred object, a vessel or statue, sacra ferre to carry sacred emblems in procession, as in Virgil; a holy place, shrine, as in Plautus; a religious observance, ceremony, rite, as in Accius and Cicero; a festival, as in Livy; and in the plural sacred status, sanctity, inviolability, as in Ovid.^[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it was a holy thing, the sacrifice of the Mass, sacred rites.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a shrine.^[2][4]
• 170–c. 90 BC – Accius uses it of a rite.^[2][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of sacred objects.^[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A sacred object, sacra ferre, to carry sacred emblems.^[2]
2. A holy place, shrine.^[2]
3. A religious observance, rite.^[2]
4. A festival.^[2]
5. (usually plural) Sanctity, inviolability.^[2]
6. (Ecclesiastical Latin) The sacrifice of the Mass.^[6]

Word family

• sacrāria
• sacrārium
• sacrārius
• sacricola
• sacrificus

Related words

• sacer
• sacrificium

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson