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
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2026
Isn’t there something sacrosanct about a film, the intentions of the director and the performances of the actors in a film’s original form?
—Holly Willis, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2026
English football dressing rooms used to be considered sacrosanct spaces, accessible only to the players and their coaches.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Resurgent royalism Other than aligning with Thailand’s armed forces, Anutin is also close to its sacrosanct royal palace, accompanying King Maha Vajiralongkorn during a four-day visit to Bhutan in April as well as his historic visit to China in November.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Sacrosanct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrosanct. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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