Sacred religious ceremonies or rituals in Christian churches, such as baptism or communion, believed to convey divine grace.
From Latin 'sacramentum' meaning 'oath' or 'sacred rite'; entered English through Old French and became the standard term for Christian holy rituals in the medieval period.
Different Christian denominations count sacraments differently—Catholics recognize seven (including marriage and last rites), while Protestants typically recognize two (baptism and communion), which reflects deep theological disagreements that shaped Christian history.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.