What does sacrificially mean?
Sacrificially means in a way that involves giving up something valuable for a greater purpose or for the benefit of others. It emphasizes self-sacrifice rather than a merely difficult choice: a person acting sacrificially may surrender safety, comfort, resources, or even life while accepting that cost for a higher aim. The word is often used in formal writing, journalism, and discussion of military service, humanitarian work, or exceptional acts of devotion. Because it explicitly invokes sacrifice, it carries a strongly approving, elevated, or commemorative tone and is less appropriate for describing an ordinary inconvenience. In everyday English, a direct phrase such as "gave up his life for" or "self-sacrificingly" will often communicate the idea more naturally.
adverbIn a manner involving the giving up of something valued for a greater purpose or benefit.
- Done or performed with the sacrifice of something valuable, especially for the benefit of others or a higher purpose.
"The soldiers sacrificially guarded the retreating civilians, willingly placing themselves in danger."
"She sacrificially devoted herself to caring for the injured volunteers."
"The pilot sacrificed the aircraft to protect the people on the ground, sacrificially accepting the consequences."
A sacrifice is, etymologically, a making sacred: what is surrendered is offered to something held holy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sacrificially come from?
The adverb is derived from "sacrificial" with the suffix "-ly." Its wider root is "sacrifice," which entered English through Old French and ultimately Latin sacrificium, a compound of sacer, meaning "sacred," and facere, meaning "to make." The same sacred root also underlies related words such as "sacrament" and "sacrilege."
How sacrificially is actually used
This is a formal and relatively uncommon adverb. In ordinary contexts, constructions such as "gave up his life for" or "self-sacrificingly" may sound more natural.