sacrificial
Given up willingly
Sacrificial describes something offered or given up as a sacrifice, whether to a deity or for a larger purpose.
A sacrificial lamb was literally an animal killed in religious ritual; figuratively, it's someone made to bear blame or punishment for others.
Sacrificial implies willing destruction or surrender: a sacrificial bunt advances runners at the cost of an out, a sacrificial anode corrodes to protect other metal.
Declared sacred through ritual
- holyDedicated to the divine
- sanctifiedMade sacred through blessing
- blessedReceiving divine favor
- divineOf or from gods
covenant · offering · oblation · vow · pledge · testament · communion · paschal
Sacred worship structure
- priestOne who performs sacraments
- victimOne harmed by another
- bloodBody's oxygen carrier
- slaughterKilling for meat
stone · pyre · fire · knife · incense · hecatomb · immolation · burnt offering
Formal event marking occasions
- riteCeremonial act or practice
- libationCeremonial drink offering
- propitiationAct of placating deity
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
invocation · chant · shaman · oracle · liturgy · pagan · taboo · solstice
Redress for offense
- scapegoatUnfairly blamed person
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- amendsCompensation for wrongdoing
reparation · absolution · forgiveness · cleansing · sin · guilt · substitute · vicarious
Prioritizing others over oneself
- altruismPrioritizing others' wellbeing
- martyrdomSuffering for conviction
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
- renunciationFormal surrender of claim
dedication · surrender · submission · obedience · service · loyalty · patriotism · heroism
consecrated
Declared sacred through ritual
- holyDedicated to the divine
- sanctifiedMade sacred through blessing
- blessedReceiving divine favor
divine · covenant · offering · oblation · vow · pledge · testament · communion · paschal · crucifixion
temple
Sacred worship structure
slaughter · stone · pyre · fire · knife · incense · hecatomb · immolation · burnt offering · firstborn
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
- riteCeremonial act or practice
- libationCeremonial drink offering
- propitiationAct of placating deity
purification · invocation · chant · shaman · oracle · liturgy · pagan · taboo · solstice · equinox
expiation
Redress for offense
- scapegoatUnfairly blamed person
- redemptionRecovery or moral restoration
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
amends · reparation · absolution · forgiveness · cleansing · sin · guilt · substitute · vicarious · proxy
selflessness
Prioritizing others over oneself
- altruismPrioritizing others' wellbeing
- martyrdomSuffering for conviction
- self-denialRestraining one's own desires
renunciation · dedication · surrender · submission · obedience · service · loyalty · patriotism · heroism · laying down
forgo
Deliberately do without
- relinquishVoluntarily give up control
- surrenderCease resistance, yield
- abandonLeave behind permanently
forsake · waive · cede · forfeit · abnegate · divest · yield · let go · give up · loss
- expendabledisposable, replaceable, dispensable, expendable, redundant
sacrificialselfish
Concerned only with oneself
self-serving · self-interested · greedy · acquisitive · hoarding
sacrificialprofane
Irreverent toward the sacred
secular · mundane · unconsecrated · desacralized · unholy
sacrificialprotected
Kept from harm
preserved · safeguarded · treasured · indispensable · valued
- sacrificial loveCaring through personal cost
- sacrificial lambOne offered for others' benefit
- sacrificial altarPlatform for religious offerings
- sacrificial victimOne ritually killed
- sacrificial riteReligious offering of life
- sacrificial animalCreature killed for deity
sacrificial anode, sacrificial anodes, sacrificing, sacrificial lamb, sacrificially, self-sacrificing