The Collaborative International Dictionary
Sacred \Sa"cred\, a. [Originally p. p. of OE. sacren to consecrate, F. sacrer, fr. L. sacrare, fr. sacer sacred, holy, cursed. Cf. Consecrate, Execrate, Saint, Sexton.]
Set apart by solemn religious ceremony; especially, in a good sense, made holy; set apart to religious use; consecrated; not profane or common; as, a sacred place; a sacred day; sacred service.
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Relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular; religious; as, sacred history.
Smit with the love of sacred song.
--Milton. -
Designated or exalted by a divine sanction; possessing the highest title to obedience, honor, reverence, or veneration; entitled to extreme reverence; venerable.
Such neighbor nearness to our sacred [royal] blood Should nothing privilege him.
--Shak.Poet and saint to thee alone were given, The two most sacred names of earth and heaven.
--Cowley. -
Hence, not to be profaned or violated; inviolable.
Secrets of marriage still are sacred held.
--Dryden. -
Consecrated; dedicated; devoted; -- with to.
A temple, sacred to the queen of love.
--Dryden. -
Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful. [Archaic]
But, to destruction sacred and devote.
--Milton.Society of the Sacred Heart (R.C. Ch.), a religious order of women, founded in France in 1800, and approved in 1826. It was introduced into America in 181
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The members of the order devote themselves to the higher branches of female education. Sacred baboon. (Zo["o]l.) See Hamadryas. Sacred bean (Bot.), a seed of the Oriental lotus ( Nelumbo speciosa or Nelumbium speciosum), a plant resembling a water lily; also, the plant itself. See Lotus. Sacred beetle (Zo["o]l.) See Scarab. Sacred canon. See Canon, n., 3. Sacred fish (Zo["o]l.), any one of numerous species of fresh-water African fishes of the family Mormyrid[ae]. Several large species inhabit the Nile and were considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians; especially Mormyrus oxyrhynchus. Sacred ibis. See Ibis. Sacred monkey. (Zo["o]l.)
Any Asiatic monkey of the genus Semnopithecus, regarded as sacred by the Hindoos; especially, the entellus. See Entellus.
The sacred baboon. See Hamadryas.
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The bhunder, or rhesus monkey.
Sacred place (Civil Law), the place where a deceased person is buried.
Syn: Holy; divine; hallowed; consecrated; dedicated; devoted; religious; venerable; reverend. [1913 Webster] -- Sa"cred*ly, adv. -- Sa"cred*ness, n.
Usage examples of "sacred monkey".
He brought with him Chemistry, the most remarkable looking sacred monkey.