a. [ Originally p. p. of OE. sacren to consecrate, F. sacrer, fr. L. sacrare, fr. sacer sacred, holy, cursed. Cf. Consecrate, Execrate, Saint, Sexton. ] 1. Set apart by solemn religious ceremony; especially, in a good sense, made holy; set apart to religious use; consecrated; not profane or common; as, a sacred place; a sacred day; sacred service. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular; religious; as, sacred history. [ 1913 Webster ]

Smit with the love of sacred song. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Designated or exalted by a divine sanction; possessing the highest title to obedience, honor, reverence, or veneration; entitled to extreme reverence; venerable. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such neighbor nearness to our sacred [ royal ] blood
Should nothing privilege him. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Poet and saint to thee alone were given,
The two most sacred names of earth and heaven. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Hence, not to be profaned or violated; inviolable. [ 1913 Webster ]

Secrets of marriage still are sacred held. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Consecrated; dedicated; devoted; -- with to. [ 1913 Webster ]

A temple, sacred to the queen of love. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

But, to destruction sacred and devote. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Society of the Sacred Heart (R.C. Ch.), a religious order of women, founded in France in 1800, and approved in 1826. It was introduced into America in 1817. The members of the order devote themselves to the higher branches of female education. --
Sacred baboon. (Zool.) See Hamadryas. --
Sacred bean (Bot.), a seed of the Oriental lotus (Nelumbo speciosa or Nelumbium speciosum), a plant resembling a water lily; also, the plant itself. See Lotus. --
Sacred beetle (Zool.) See Scarab. --
Sacred canon. See Canon, n., 3. --
Sacred fish (Zool.), any one of numerous species of fresh-water African fishes of the family Mormyridae. Several large species inhabit the Nile and were considered sacred by the ancient Egyptians; especially Mormyrus oxyrhynchus. --
Sacred ibis. See Ibis. --
Sacred monkey. (Zool.) (a) Any Asiatic monkey of the genus Semnopithecus, regarded as sacred by the Hindoos; especially, the entellus. See Entellus. (b) The sacred baboon. See Hamadryas. (c) The bhunder, or rhesus monkey. --
Sacred place (Civil Law), the place where a deceased person is buried. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Holy; divine; hallowed; consecrated; dedicated; devoted; religious; venerable; reverend. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Sa"cred*ly adv. -- Sa"cred*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]