verb
sanctify
SANGK-tih-fye/ˈsæŋktɪfaɪ/
To declare or make something sacred.
The minister sanctifies the chalice by blessing it for sacred use.
Etymology
The pieces mean “make holy”: sanctifying something gives it sacred standing or sets it apart for sacred use, rather than leaving it for ordinary purposes.
In context
the physical material world is inherently capable of bearing the divine. Therefore, God can and does sanctify water, wood, stone, and oil to convey grace to believers.
More examples
- The ritual sanctified the ground where their ancestors rest.
- They sanctify the day by setting it aside for worship.
- Tradition does not sanctify every custom we inherit.
Forms
sanctify · sanctifies · sanctified · sanctifying
sanctification noun — The act of making something holy.
Similar words
- consecrate
- Usually sets something apart for a specific religious purpose.
- bless
- Invokes divine favor without necessarily making the recipient sacred.