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Glite Dictionary
to immolate

to immolate

5 9.9
To kill or destroy something, often by fire, as an offering to a god
  • verb
  • /ˈɪməˌleɪt/
  • NSFW
translation icon : inmolación
  • Things became worse when Buddhist monks immolated themselves in protest.
  • self-immolate
  • Buddhist monks immolated

Planet is immolating all at the same time.

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Examples

  • The Brahmin Society has issued an ultimatum: "If the demand's not met, ten Brahmins will immolate themselves."

    Fiction book (1992)

  • You know how Indian women immolate themselves on their husbands' funeral pyres?

    Fiction book (1992)

  • When she did not answer, Tolstoy turned to the guard captain, saying, "Immolate one of the women."

    Fiction book (2002)

  • Nearly all the items in question end up being immolated, destroyed, or consumed in the process of consecration.

    Academic text (2003)

  • For instance, the Tunisian revolution was sparked by a small street vendor who immolated himself after being harassed by the police.

    Blog text (31)

  • The painter had sent a letter to Gandhi, calling her government "godless and devoid of all humanity" before immolating himself.

    Academic text (2017)

  • The ancient ritual involved participants who would immolate animals as offerings to the gods.

  • To demonstrate his dedication, he decided to immolate a symbolic effigy during the ceremony.

  • In historical accounts, warriors would immolate themselves on the battlefield to honor their fallen comrades.

Synonyms

to sacrifice
vsto immolate
  • NSFW
133 5.3

Offer or kill something valuable as part of a religious ceremony

uses fire specifically to kill as a ritual offering
to incinerate
vsto immolate
8 7.4

To burn until it turns to ash

involves burning with the intent of ritual killing or offering

Antonyms

to save
∞ 1.0

Rescue someone or something from danger

to preserve
496 3.4

To keep people and things safe from harm or change

How Violent

to annihilate
  • NSFW
63 7.5
to immolate
  • NSFW
5 9.9
to kill
  • NSFW
∞ 1.0
to destroy
∞ 1.0
to injure
53 1.6
to harm
738 1.0

Surface Forms

immolate infinitive
immolated past
immolated past participle
immolating present participle
immolates third person singular

Etymology

Immolate comes from the Latin immolare, made from in- 'on' and mola 'meal', meaning ground grain. Priests would put 'meal' on a gift to the gods, and this religious act later came to mean killing or burning the gift as a sacred offering. So, to immolate today is to kill or destroy something as a sacrifice, often by fire.