What does sacrificeable mean?
Sacrificeable means capable of being sacrificed or likely to be given up for a greater purpose. It may describe people, positions, plans, or other things whose loss could be accepted in pursuit of a more important objective. For example, soldiers might be described as sacrificeable if their role exposes them to grave danger while serving a larger military objective. The word can therefore imply a harsh, strategic view of human life, although it can also apply to less personal matters such as resources, ambitions, or a proposed course of action. It is related to the more familiar adjective sacrificial, but the two are not interchangeable: sacrificial describes something intended for sacrifice, while sacrificeable describes something capable of being sacrificed. The term is more common in formal, literary, or strategic contexts than in everyday conversation.
adjectiveCapable of being sacrificed, or liable to be sacrificed. The word often suggests a person or thing that may be given up for a greater purpose.
- Capable of being sacrificed or abandoned for a greater purpose.
"The remaining soldiers knew that their positions were sacrificeable if the advance could not be stopped."
"The commander withdrew the troops whose lives were plainly sacrificeable in the continuing struggle."
"The scheme seemed sacrificeable, but abandoning it would have destroyed the work of years."
Its close relative “sacrificial” asks what is intended for sacrifice; “sacrificeable” asks what may be sacrificed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sacrificeable come from?
The word was formed in English by joining sacrifice to the suffix -able, meaning “capable of being.” Sacrifice ultimately comes from Latin sacrificium, a term associated with making something sacred, derived from sacer, “sacred,” and facere, “to make.” Related English words include sacrificial, sacrament, and sacral.
How sacrificeable is actually used
This is a relatively uncommon and formal word. It can sound detached or severe, especially when applied to people, because it presents their loss as a calculated possibility.
Easily confused with sacrificeable
Sacrificeable means capable of being sacrificed, whereas sacrificial means intended for or associated with sacrifice.