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To Latinists, there's nothing cryptic about the origins of execrate-the word derives from exsecratus, the past participle of the Latin verb exsecrari, meaning "to put under a curse." Exsecrari was itself created by combining the prefix ex- ("not") and the word sacer ("sacred"). Sacer is also an ancestor of such English words as sacerdotal ("relating to priests"), sacral ("holy or sacred"), sacrifice, sacrilege, and of course sacred itself. There's also execration, which, true to its exsecrari roots, means "the act of cursing" or "the curse so uttered."
Cite this Entry
“Execrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/execrate. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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execrate
verb
