sacrum
See also: Sacrum
English edit
Etymology edit
From Latin os sacrum (“holy bone”), a calque of Ancient Greek ἱερὸν ὀστέον (hieròn ostéon). Apparently so called either because the sacrum was the part of the animal offered in sacrifice or because of a putative belief that it is where a person's soul resides. A third explanation is that the term is a translation of Ancient Greek ἱερὸν (hieròn), which has two meanings: “holy, sacred”, and “big”[1] — big being a more appropriate description of the sacrum — but compare.[2]
Pronunciation edit
Audio (UK) (file)
Noun edit
sacrum (plural sacra or sacrums)
- (anatomy) A large triangular bone at the base of the spine, located between the two ilia (wings of the pelvis) and formed from vertebrae that fuse in adulthood.
- Synonym: (obsolete) holy bone
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
bone at the base of the spine
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References edit
- ^ Voss, Herrlinger, Taschenbuch der Anatomie
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “sacrum”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Anagrams edit
Latin edit
Alternative forms edit
- sacrom (Early Latin)
Etymology edit
From sacer (“sacred, holy”).
Pronunciation edit
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈsa.krum/, [ˈs̠äkrʊ̃ˑ]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈsa.krum/, [ˈsäːkrum]
Noun edit
sacrum n (genitive sacrī); second declension
- A holy or sacred object, e.g. statue, image, emblem, vessel, utensil.
- A holy or sacred place, e.g. sanctuary, shrine, temple.
- A religious act or observance, e.g. a sacrifice, festival, rite.
- Divine worship or religion.
- c. 54-51 B.C.E., Cicero, De re publica, 2.7.13
- quo foedere et Sabinos in civitatem adscivit sacris conmunicatis et regnum suum cum illorum rege sociavit
- By this compact he admitted the Sabines into the city, gave them a participation in the religious ceremonies, and divided his power with their king.
- quo foedere et Sabinos in civitatem adscivit sacris conmunicatis et regnum suum cum illorum rege sociavit
- c. 54-51 B.C.E., Cicero, De re publica, 2.7.13
- The private religious rites of a family.
- (only in plural) Poems (as sacred to the muse).
- c. 8-18 AD, Ovid, Tristia, 4.10.19
- at mihi iam puero caelestia sacra placebant inque suum furtim Musa trahebat opus
- But even as a boy the heavenly poems delighted me, and the Muse was drawing me secretly to her work.
- at mihi iam puero caelestia sacra placebant inque suum furtim Musa trahebat opus
- c. 8-18 AD, Ovid, Tristia, 4.10.19
- (only in plural, post-Augustan) Secrets, mysteries.
- 8 AD, Ovid, Metamorphoses, 7.709
- sacra tori coitusque novos thalamosque recentes primaque deserti referebam foedera lecti
- I told Aurora of our wedding secrets and all refreshing mysteries of coition – and my first union on my now-deserted couch.
- sacra tori coitusque novos thalamosque recentes primaque deserti referebam foedera lecti
- 8 AD, Ovid, Metamorphoses, 7.709
Declension edit
Second-declension noun (neuter).
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
Nominative | sacrum | sacra |
Genitive | sacrī | sacrōrum |
Dative | sacrō | sacrīs |
Accusative | sacrum | sacra |
Ablative | sacrō | sacrīs |
Vocative | sacrum | sacra |
Adjective edit
sacrum
- inflection of sacer:
Related terms edit
Related terms
- sacer
- sacerdōs
- sacerdōtālis
- sacerdōtium
- sacerdōtula
- sacrāmentālis
- sacrāmentum
- sacrārium
- sacrārius
- sacrātē
- sacrātiō
- sacrātor
- sacricola
- sacrifer
- sacrificālis
- sacrificātiō
- sacrificātor
- sacrificātus
- sacrificiolus
- sacrificium
- sacrificō
- sacrificulus
- sacrificus
- sacrilegē
- sacrilegium
- sacrilegus
- sacrō
- sacrōsanctus
References edit
- “sacrum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “sacrum”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- sacrum in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
- sacrum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
- Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
- to be present at divine service (of the people): sacris adesse
- to be initiated into the mysteries of a cult: sacris initiari (Quintil. 12. 10. 14)
- (ambiguous) ritual; ceremonial: sacra, res divinae, religiones, caerimoniae
- (ambiguous) to sacrifice: sacra, sacrificium facere (ἱερὰ ῥέζειν), sacrificare
- (ambiguous) to profane sacred rites: sacra polluere et violare
- to be present at divine service (of the people): sacris adesse
- “sacrum”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly
Polish edit
Etymology edit
Unadapted borrowing from Latin sacrum. Doublet of sakra.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
sacrum n (indeclinable)
- (anthropology) sacrum (the sacred world)
- Antonym: profanum
Further reading edit
- sacrum in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Romanian edit
Etymology edit
Noun edit
sacrum n (uncountable)
Declension edit
declension of sacrum (singular only)
singular | ||
---|---|---|
n gender | indefinite articulation | definite articulation |
nominative/accusative | (un) sacrum | sacrumul |
genitive/dative | (unui) sacrum | sacrumului |
vocative | sacrumule |