sacramentum
- noun
- /ˌsækrəˈmɛntəm/
- Archaic
:
juramento
- The soldier took a sacramentum before his commander, pledging loyalty to the cause.
Examples
-
Sacramentum was understood as an oath to the Lord.
Academic text (2004) -
By either reading sacramentum as lived commitment or oath before God, Augustine's reasoning was not adopted by later commentators in their defense of indissolubility.
Academic text (2004) -
In ancient Rome, the sacramentum signified a vow that bound the troops to their leaders.
-
Swearing a sacramentum was a critical step for soldiers committing to serve in the army.
Synonyms
385
3.6
A formal promise made in a serious or official situation
279
3.4
A serious promise to do or not do something, often for religious reasons
206
3.7
A serious promise to do or stop doing something
16
4.7
A promise made in court to tell the truth
How Binding
Surface Forms
Etymology
Sacramentum was also the word for a solemn public promise or oath in ancient Rome, because it comes from the Latin sacer, 'sacred', making the promise a 'sacred pledge'. That's why a sacramentum could mean a soldier's or citizen's unbreakable oath to the state.