Meanings
present singular third person sanctifies · participle present sanctifying · participle past sanctified · past sanctified
- transitiveTo make holy; to consecrate; to set aside for sacred or ceremonial use.
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 2:3Synonyms: consecrate
- transitiveTo free from sin; to purify.
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 6:111 more example
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ephesians 5:25-26 - transitiveTo make acceptable or useful under religious law or practice.
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Timothy 4:4-5
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo make holy; to consecrate; to set aside for sacred or ceremonial use.
antonym(s) of
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinsānctus“holy”
- Late Latinsānctificō
- Old Frenchsaintefier
- Anglo-Normanseintefier
- Englishsanctify
From Anglo-Norman seintefier, from Old French saintefier, from Late Latin sānctificō, from Latin sānctus (“holy”) + faciō (“do, make”). Form altered to conform with Latin.
More words from Anglo-Norman, Old French, Late Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek ἁγιάζω
- ἁγιάζω (hagiázō)to make holy
Bulgarian освещавам, очиствам от греховете
- освещавам (osveštavam)to make holy
- очиствам от греховете (očistvam ot grehovete)to purify
Dutch heilig verklaren, heiligen
- heilig verklarento make holy
- heiligento make holy
- verheiligento make holy
- wijdento make holy
- inwijdento make holy
- consacrerento make holy
- sancrerento make holy
- sacraliserento make holy
- sanctificerento make holy
- sanctifiërento make holy
- zuiverento purify
- louterento purify
Esperanto sanktigi, sanktigi
- sanktigito make holy
- sanktigito purify
- sanktigito make acceptable or useful
- sanktigito endorse
Finnish pyhittää, puhdistaa
- pyhittääto make holy
- puhdistaato purify
- vapauttaato purify
- pyhittääto make acceptable or useful
French consacrer, sanctifier
- consacrerto make holy
- sanctifierto make holy
German heiligen
- heiligento make holy
Greek εξαγιάζω
- εξαγιάζω (exagiázo)to make holy
Italian consacrare, purificare
- consacrareto make holy
- purificareto purify
- santificareto endorse
Japanese 浄化する
- 浄化する (jōka suru)to purify
Latin consecro
- consecroto make holy
Lithuanian pašventinti, apvalyti
- pašventintito make holy
- apvalytito purify
Māori whakatapu, whakataputapu
- whakataputo make holy
- whakataputaputo make holy
Norwegian vigsle, helliggjøre
- vigsleto make holy
- helliggjøreto make holy
- renseto purify
- tilgito purify
- velsigneto endorse
Portuguese santificar, consagrar
- santificarto make holy
- consagrarto make holy
Russian освяща́ть, освяти́ть
- освяща́ть (osvjaščátʹ)to make holy
- освяти́ть (osvjatítʹ)to make holy
- очища́ть (očiščátʹ)to purify
- очи́стить (očístitʹ)to purify
- санкциони́ровать (sankcionírovatʹ)to endorse
- одобря́ть (odobrjátʹ)to endorse
- одо́брить (odóbritʹ)to endorse
Scottish Gaelic naomhaich
- naomhaichto make holy
Spanish santificar, santificar
- santificarto make holy
- santificarto purify
- santificarto endorse
Swedish helga
- helgato make holy
Turkish kutsamak, kutsamak
- kutsamakto make holy
- kutsamakto purify
Cite this entry
sanctify. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sanctify
“sanctify.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sanctify. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sanctify,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sanctify.
Source: sanctify on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.