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Glite Dictionary
deconsecrated

deconsecrated

9.1
A building or object that is no longer sacred after a religious ceremony
  • adjective
  • /ˌdiːˈkɒnsɪkreɪtɪd/
  • Formal
translation icon : desconsagrado
  • After its closure, the deconsecrated cathedral hosted art exhibitions and cultural events.
  • a deconsecrated church

Examples

  • The town converted a deconsecrated church into a community center for the residents.

  • She wandered through the deconsecrated chapel, admiring its historic beauty without the usual reverence.

  • Over the past weekend, I had the occasion to attend two remarkable concerts by different groups of young musicians, which took place in a deconsecrated medieval church on the North Downs Way, ten miles from Canterbury.

    Academic text (2007)

Synonyms

unconsecrated
vsdeconsecrated
1 9.0

Not made holy or set aside for religious use

is a formerly sacred thing that had its sacred status formally removed
unsanctified
vsdeconsecrated
1 8.9

Not made holy in a religious ceremony

is a formerly sacred thing that had its sacred status formally removed

Antonyms

consecrated
  • Formal
7.6

Made holy and set apart for religious use

Surface Forms

deconsecrated positive

Morphology

deconsecrated = deconsecrate (transparent) = de + consecrate + ed

This is a standard participial adjective formed from the verb 'deconsecrate', with the meaning directly preserved.

Etymology

The word deconsecrated comes from the prefix de- meaning 'remove' and the verb consecrate, which means 'to make holy' and is related to sacred. So, a deconsecrated building has had its 'holy' status taken away and is no longer sacred.