Word
sacrificial
Phoneticssac·ri·fi·cial
US/ˌsækɹəˈfɪʃəɫ/
UK/sˌækɹɪfˈɪʃəl/
Definitions
01religious ritual
adj. used in or related to a religious ceremony where something is offered to a god.
adj. relating to or used in the ritualistic offering of an animal, object, or person to a deity.
“The archaeologists found a sacrificial altar deep inside the ancient temple.”
“The museum displayed several sacrificial vessels used by the priests during the spring equinox ceremonies to ensure a bountiful harvest.”
Formal
Synonyms
02giving something up
adj. describes something that is given up or destroyed to achieve a goal or protect something else.
adj. offered or surrendered for the sake of a higher cause or strategic advantage.
“He made a sacrificial effort to finish the project, giving up his entire weekend.”
“In a bold move, the grandmaster made a sacrificial play by losing his knight to gain a decisive positional advantage.”
Formal
Synonyms
03technical protection
adj. describes a part designed to be destroyed so that the main machine or structure stays safe.
adj. denoting a component designed to be consumed or destroyed in order to protect a more expensive or vital part.
“The boat has a sacrificial metal strip to prevent the main hull from rusting.”
“Engineers installed sacrificial anodes on the bridge supports to attract corrosion away from the primary steel structure.”
Technical
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The plantar surfaces of the boy’s feet showed evidence of prolonged walking over a long distance, consistent with making a pilgrimage to a sacrificial site.” “Male sacrificial victims were concentrated near the East Gate, while female sacrificial remains were found in elite cemeteries including Huangchengtai and Hanjiagedan.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin sacrificiālis (“sacrificial”), from sacrificium (“sacrifice”), from sacrificus (“sacrificial”), from sacrificō (“sacrifice”), from sacer (“sacred, holy”) + faciō (“do, make”). By surface analysis, sacrifice + -ial.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/sacrificial