What does consecrate mean?
To consecrate is to make something sacred — to set it apart formally for a holy or deeply serious purpose. The verb appears most often in religious contexts: churches are consecrated by bishops, altars are consecrated with rites, and clergy are consecrated into office. Yet it also has a broader, figurative use, as when someone consecrates their life to a cause, devoting themselves wholly and solemnly to it. Derived from Latin roots meaning 'to make sacred,' the word carries an air of reverence and gravity that suits both cathedral ceremonies and earnest personal commitment. Its opposite, desecrate — to violate what is sacred — shares the same Latin ancestry, making the two words a memorable pair of opposites. Consecrate remains firmly formal in register, lending dignity to whatever it describes.
verbTo make or declare something sacred; to dedicate formally to a religious or solemn purpose.
- To declare a place, object, or person sacred through a formal religious rite (e.g. consecrating a church, an altar, or a bishop).
- To devote something entirely and solemnly to a purpose, often figuratively (e.g. 'she consecrated her life to medicine').
"The bishop consecrated the new church before its first service."
"The archbishop consecrated the cathedral in a ceremony attended by thousands."
"He consecrated his remaining years to the care of refugees."
The same Latin root that gives us 'consecrate' also gives us 'sacrilege' — one word builds the sacred, the other breaks it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of consecrate
Consecrate comes from the Latin consecrare, formed from com- ('together') and sacrare ('to make sacred'), itself rooted in sacer, meaning 'sacred.' It entered English in the late medieval period via ecclesiastical Latin and Old French, retaining its religious character throughout. Cognates from the same Latin root include sacrifice, sanctify's cousin sacred, and desecrate — its semantic opposite.
Related word forms
How consecrate is actually used
Consecrate is a formal word, used chiefly in religious contexts but also in elevated secular writing about devotion or dedication. It carries a reverent, solemn connotation and is rarely used casually.
Easily confused with consecrate
Desecrate is the opposite of consecrate — it means to violate the sacredness of something, while consecrate means to make it sacred.