sacred

/ˈseɪkɹɪd/

//ˈseɪkɹɪd// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"sacred" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“sacred” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,794 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#4,794
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Characterized by solemn religious ceremony or religious use, especially, in a positive sense; consecrated, made holy.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

sacred vs saved
67% similar
sacred vs screw
67% similar
sacred vs shred
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for sacred
PropertyValue
Headwordsacred
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈseɪkɹɪd/
Letters6
Frequency rank#4,794
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “sacred” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). sacred lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for sacred is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈseɪkɹɪd/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,794 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for sacred, with forms such as "ascred", "saccred", and "sacerd". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "saved", "screw", "shred", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English sacred, isacred, past participle of sacren, sakeren (“to make holy, hallow”), equivalent to sacre + -ed. The correct English form is sacred, spelled S-A-C-R-E-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Characterized by solemn religious ceremony or religious use, especially, in a positive sense; consecrated, made holy.
  2. 2
    Religious; relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular
  3. 3
    Spiritual; concerned with metaphysics.
  4. 4
    Designated or exalted by a divine sanction; possessing the highest title to obedience, honor, reverence, or veneration; entitled to extreme reverence; venerable.
  5. 5
    Not to be profaned or violated; inviolable.
  6. 6
    Consecrated; dedicated; devoted
  7. 7
    Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful.

Etymology

From Middle English sacred, isacred, past participle of sacren, sakeren (“to make holy, hallow”), equivalent to sacre + -ed.

Antonyms

curseddamned

This word in other languages

sagrado(Español)sacré(Français)heilig(Deutsch)sagrado(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ascred,saccred,sacerd,sacrde,sacredd,sacrred,sarced,ssacred

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of sacred - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ascred2saccred1sacerd2sacrde2sacredd1sacrred1sarced2ssacred1
Edit distance from "sacred"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "sacred"?
"sacred" is spelled S-A-C-R-E-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈseɪkɹɪd/.
What does "sacred" mean?
As an adjective, "sacred" means: Characterized by solemn religious ceremony or religious use, especially, in a positive sense; consecrated, made holy.
What words are commonly confused with "sacred"?
"sacred" is commonly confused with "saved", "screw", "shred". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "sacred"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "sacred" is /ˈseɪkɹɪd/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "sacred"?
From Middle English sacred, isacred, past participle of sacren, sakeren (“to make holy, hallow”), equivalent to sacre + -ed. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “sacred”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is S-A-C-R-E-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈseɪkɹɪd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “saved” - see the side-by-side comparison. sacred vs saved
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list