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 a truly pious flavor, from saint and sanctimony to sanctify and sanctuary. Sacrum ("a sacred rite"), source of 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 translates literally as "holy bone."
Examples of sacrosanct in a Sentence
Christopher Briem, The Conversation, 12 June 2026
And while the people in those living rooms may not be thrilled with this year’s Sox, their connection to the team remains sacrosanct regardless of its record.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 12 June 2026
On the one hand, traffickers are helping fuel the violent crime that conservatives decry; on the other, prosecution of gun laws brushes against tenets that conservatives hold sacrosanct.
—Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 1 June 2026
Scarcity remains absolutely sacrosanct to Rolls-Royce.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sacrosanct
Cite this Entry
“Sacrosanct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrosanct. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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