French word

sacrer

Pronunciation

IPA/sakʁe/

Meaning

  • verbcrown

Example

Ils ont sacré le roi hier.

They crowned the king yesterday.

Illustration for sacrer (crown)

More examples

Ils ont sacré un champion hier après la finale.

They crowned a champion yesterday after the final.

Core concept

A crown lowered onto a ruler's head as the ceremony turns royal office into a sacred status.

Common phrases

  • sacrer un champion

    crown a champion

  • sacrer le vainqueur

    crown the winner

Similar words

nommer: To officially give someone a position or title.
couronner: To crown someone and formally make them king.
proclamer: To officially announce something publicly.
introniser: To place someone on the throne and formally make them king.

Definition in French

Placer la couronne sur la tête d'un souverain lors d'une cérémonie officielle, le proclamant roi et lui conférant un caractère sacré.

Word origin

French sacrer comes from Latin sacrare, "to make sacred", and developed through religious and royal ceremonies to include the consecration of a monarch.

Usage tips

  • In ordinary modern French, couronner is the usual neutral verb for putting a crown on someone, while sacrer has a more solemn ceremonial register.

Other meanings

  • consecrateverb

Opposites

  • découronnerdethroneverb

Related words

  • sacrésacredadjective
  • sacrecoronationnoun

Word lists with this word