tr.v. con·se·crat·ed, con·se·crat·ing, con·se·crates 1. To declare or set apart as sacred: consecrate a church. 2. Christianity a. To sanctify (bread and wine) for Eucharistic use through a ritual regarded by some Christian churches as effecting transubstantiation. b. To initiate (a priest) into the order of bishops. 3. To dedicate solemnly to a service or goal. See Synonyms at devote. 4. To make venerable; hallow: a tradition consecrated by time. adj. Dedicated to a sacred purpose; sanctified. [Middle English consecraten, from Latin cōnsecrāre, cōnsecrāt- : com-, intensive pref.; see COM- + sacrāre, to make sacred (from sacer, sacr-, sacred; see sak- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] conse·cra′tive adj. conse·cra′tor n. conse·cra·to′ry (-krə-tôr′ē) adj. |
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