consagrate

Consagrate is an English verb meaning to make something sacred or to devote it to a sacred purpose. It is most commonly encountered as a variant spelling of consecrate, and in modern usage the form consecrate is preferred. When used, it typically refers to a ritual act that dedicates a person, place, or object to divine service or sacred use.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin consecrare, from con- “together” and sacrare “to make holy.” English borrowed the term in the medieval and early modern periods. Consagrate survives today as a relatively rare or archaic variant; many dictionaries treat it as obsolete or regional.

Usage: In religious contexts, consagrate can describe the formal dedication of churches, altars, vessels, or persons (as in consecration ceremonies). In secular language, it can mean to devote wholeheartedly to a cause or mission, though this sense is more commonly expressed with consecrate or dedicate. Because consagrate is less common, writers often use consecrate to avoid ambiguity.

See also: consecration, sanctify, dedication, Holy Orders. Notes: The standard modern spelling is consecrate; consagrate appears chiefly in historical or poetic texts.