sanctification
UK[ˌsæŋktɪfɪˈkeɪʃən]US[ˌsæŋktəfəˈkeɪʃən]
n
The process of making something holy or sacred.
n
The state of being purified or freed from sin.
Morpheme Breakdown
sanct
i
fic
ation
sanct
holy
i
fic
make
ation
action/process
Etymology
The word 'sanctification' is built upon the Latin adjective 'sanctus', meaning "holy, sacred, inviolable". This root itself evolved from the verb 'sancire', meaning "to make sacred, to ratify". The suffix '-fication' is a powerful English noun-forming unit derived from Latin '-ficare' (a combining form of 'facere', "to make") and '-ation'. Therefore, the literal morphemic construction means "the process of making holy". This abstract theological concept entered English via Old French, retaining its core logic of transformation from a profane to a sacred or purified state, a meaning central to its use in religious and moral discourse.
Analysis
Structure: sanct (holy) + i + fic (make) + ation (action/process)
- sanct: Latin origin (sanctus), meaning "holy, sacred". Functions as the core root.
- i: A Latin connecting vowel.
- fic: Latin origin (from facere), meaning "to make, to do". Functions as a verb-forming root.
- ation: Latin suffix (-ationem), indicating an action or process. Functions as a noun-forming suffix.
Examples
The ceremony marked the sanctification of the ancient temple.
Many spiritual traditions emphasize the sanctification of the individual soul.
His life's work was seen as a process of personal sanctification.