Sacred is an adjective meaning connected with God or a deity, or regarded with reverence and respect. It often describes objects, places, or duties held holy or sacrosanct, or concepts so venerated that they deserve special reverence. The term can also characterize laws, traditions, or roles treated as inviolable or deserving awe.
- You’ll often hear speakers mispronounce Sacred as /ˈseɪ.kæd/ with an open front vowel; correct to /ˈseɪ.krɪd/. - The second syllable frequently uses a longer /iː/ or /i/; focus on a short /ɪ/. - In rapid speech or non-rhotic accents, the /r/ can become subtle or silent before a vowel; keep or omit according to dialect, but ensure the /kr/ cluster remains clear. - Audibly separating the /k/ and /r/ can create a choppy pronunciation; practice linking the /k/ and /r/ as /kr/.
- US: Pronounce /ˈseɪ.krɪd/ with clear /r/ in rhotic contexts; ensure the second syllable is short and quick. - UK: Often non-rhotic; may be /ˈseɪ.kɪd/ with a shorter second syllable and less audible /r/. - AU: Similar to US but with slightly flatter vowels; keep /eɪ/ clear and preserve /krɪd/ cluster; avoid over-emphasizing /r/. - Vowel quality: focus on the /eɪ/ diphthong in the first syllable; guide the mouth to a broad smile for /eɪ/ and tighten the lips for /ɪd/. IPA references: /ˈseɪ.krɪd/ (US/UK/AU).
"The temple contains sacred artifacts that are off-limits to visitors."
"She maintained a sacred duty to protect the land and its history."
"In many cultures, certain days are reserved for sacred ceremonies."
"His sacred beliefs shaped how he approached daily life."
Sacred derives from the Latin sacer, meaning “sacred, holy, accursed,” from sacrare, meaning “to dedicate, to consecrate.” In Classical Latin, sacer described things devoted to the gods and forbidden or accursed, while sacrare meant to dedicate or consecrate. The English form appeared in the 13th century, entering through Old French sacré, from Late Latin sacer and sacrare. Early English usage often emphasized religious dedication or divine sanction; over time, the sense broadened to denote objects, places, and duties held in high reverence, not exclusively religious. By the Early Modern period, sacred commonly described things revered or set apart as holy, as well as figurative uses like “sacred trust” or “sacred tradition.” The word’s evolution parallels shifts in religious language and secular reverence for historically important or solemn things, maintaining a core sense of consecration and inviolable value. First known use is attested in medieval Latin and Old French forms through English, with examples appearing in religious and legal texts that framed certain practices and locations as sacred property or authority.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Sacred" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Sacred" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Sacred"
-red sounds
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Pronounce as two syllables: /ˈseɪ.krɪd/ in US and UK; the second syllable reduces to /-krɪd/. Start with a stressed /ˈseɪ/ (as in “say”) followed by /krid/. The mouth opens for /eɪ/, then quickly moves to /k/ and /r/ with a short /ɪ/ before /d/. For most speakers, the tensed vowel in the first syllable should be clear; the second syllable is unstressed and shorter. Listen for a soft /ɪ/ rather than a full /iː/ in rapid speech. Audio reference: you can compare with recordings of /ˈseɪ.krɪd/ in dictionaries and native speech samples.
Common errors: 1) Pronouncing it as /ˈseɪ.kird/ with a strong /ɜː/ or /ɪ/ in the second syllable; correct is /ˈseɪ.krɪd/. 2) Flattening the second syllable to a full /iː/ or /i/ sound; aim for a short /ɪ/. 3) Misplacing the /r/ in non-rhotic accents; in US/UK/AU, /r/ is either pronounced before a vowel (US) or not (UK) depending on the dialect; keep /r/ articulatorily present in connected speech. Practice with minimal pairs like say- said to feel the difference in vowel length and r-influence.
In US English, /ˈseɪ.krɪd/ includes a prominent rhotic /r/ before a following vowel in connected speech, but in careful speech the /r/ may be less prominent. UK English often features non-rhotic tendencies; you may hear /ˈseɪ.kɪd/, with a shorter, clipped second syllable and less pronounced /r/. Australian echoes a middle ground: /ˈseɪ.krɪd/ with a light /r/ and a slightly more centralized vowel in the second syllable. Despite differences, the stressed first syllable /ˈseɪ/ remains consistent across dialects; the second syllable uses a short /ɪ/ vowel.
The difficulty centers on the contrast between the long vowel /eɪ/ in the first syllable and the short /ɪ/ in the second, plus the cluster /kr/ onset that must flow smoothly into /ɪd/. Learners often default to /ˈseɪ.kɪd/ or mispronounce /kr/ as separate elements. Mastery comes from practicing the transition from the diphthong /eɪ/ to the velar /k/ and the rhotic or non-rhotic /r/ depending on dialect, ensuring the /d/ is light and not delayed. Focus on linking the syllables with a quick, clean /kr/ onset.
Sacred presents a notable feature: the second syllable has a reduced vowel /ɪ/ that doesn’t align with a long vowel expectation after stress. This creates a subtle but silent-when-rapid effect where the /r/ is followed by a brief /ɪ/ before /d/. In fast speech, the /ɪ/ can be very short or almost skipped in non-rhotic accents; in rhotic accents, the /r/ remains but does not dramatically alter the shortness of /ɪ/. Recognize the two-syllable rhythm and avoid drawing out the second syllable.
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- Shadowing: listen to native speakers saying Sacred in natural sentences and repeat, aiming for the same timing and intonation. - Minimal pairs: say/say- kit/kid to feel the vowel difference; break the word into /ˈseɪ/ and /krɪd/ and mirror the transitions. - Rhythm practice: emphasize the strong first syllable; keep the second syllable short and quickly released. - Stress practice: keep primary stress on the first syllable; in faster speech, keep the same stress pattern so the word remains recognizable. - Recording: record yourself and compare vowels, consonants, and rhythm to a native sample. - Context practice: use Sacred in sentences about places, objects, and beliefs to reinforce pronunciation across contexts.
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