sacrament

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sac·ra·ment / ˈsakrəmənt/ • n. a religious ceremony or act of the Christian Church that is regarded as an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual divine grace, in particular: ∎  (in the Roman Catholic and many Orthodox Churches) the rites of baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, ordination, and matrimony. ∎  (among Protestants) baptism and the Eucharist. ∎  (also the Bless·ed Sac·ra·ment or the Ho·ly Sac·ra·ment) (in Roman Catholic use) the consecrated elements of the Eucharist, esp. the Host: he heard Mass and received the sacrament. ∎  a thing of mysterious and sacred significance; a religious symbol.ORIGIN: Middle English: from Old French sacrement, from Latin sacramentum ‘solemn oath’ (from sacrare ‘to hallow,’ from sacer ‘sacred’), used in Christian Latin as a translation of Greek mustērion ‘mystery.’

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