Acts of giving up something valued for the sake of something else considered more important; offerings made to a deity or in religious ceremonies.
From Latin sacrificium, combining sacer (sacred, holy) and facere (to make or do). The word literally means 'to make sacred' and entered English through Old French in the 13th century.
The original concept implied that giving something up actually transformed it into something sacred rather than simply destroying it. Many cultures believed sacrifices created a bridge between human and divine realms, with the act of giving up earthly goods earning spiritual currency.
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