sacrosanct
adjective
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Contrary to the beliefs of some, language is not sacrosanct; rather, it is subject to constant modification based on the needs, experiences, and even whims of those who use it. Take the word sacrosanct itself, which likely comes from the Latin phrase sacro sanctus meaning “made holy by a sacred rite.” There’s a definite semantic softening from that to the “too important and respected to be changed or criticized” meaning of sacrosanct. But holy moly, has sanctus led to a whole bunch of other English words with truly pious flavor, from saint and sanctimony to sanctify and sanctuary. Sacrum (“a sacred rite”), whence came the sacro in sacro sanctus, is no slouch either, living on in English anatomy as the name for our pelvic vertebrae—a shortening of os sacrum, which literally means “holy bone.”
Examples of sacrosanct in a Sentence
Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 25 June 2025
Consider the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, when Ukraine returned Soviet nuclear weapons to Russia in return for a commitment from Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States that Ukraine’s territorial integrity was sacrosanct.
—Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 25 June 2025
While the First Amendment is an annoyance in the state Capitol, the Second Amendment is sacrosanct.
—Dallas Morning News, Twin Cities, 24 May 2025
Executives' compensation is tied to cash returns not production targets with dividends now sacrosanct.
—Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sacrosanct
Cite this Entry
“Sacrosanct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrosanct. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.
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