sacrifice
/sa.kʁi.fis/
To sacrifice in French is sacrifice.
The verb sacrifice means to destroy or surrender (something) for the sake of something else regarded as more urgent or valuable. In its noun form, it can refer to a human being or an animal or a physical object or immaterial thing, offered to a deity. It can also refer to the killing (and often burning) of a human being or an animal as an offering to a deity. Offering of an object to a deity.
Meaning: to destroy or surrender (something) for the sake of something else regarded as more urgent or valuable (verb)
Which one should you use?
While sacrifice often implies a loss or a killing, offrande is a more neutral term for a general offering.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb form for 'to sacrifice' is sacrifier. The third-person singular present indicative form of the verb 'sacrifier' is sacrifie.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /sa.kʁi.fis/.
Did you know?
- The word sacrifice comes from the Latin sacrificium, combining 'sacrum' for 'sacred' and 'facere' for 'to make'.
- In certain older French literary contexts, the word sacrifier was sometimes used to mean 'to consecrate', giving it a more positive, sanctifying connotation than just 'to destroy'.
- In French, the verb sacrifier can be used figuratively in a way that English speakers might find overly dramatic, such as saying one 'sacrificed' their sleep or their time.
Examples in context
- Son sacrifice ne sera pas vain.His sacrifice will not be in vain.Tatoeba #5197989 by sacredceltic, translation #5196338 by Hybrid
- Son sacrifice ne restera pas vain.Her sacrifice will not be in vain.Tatoeba #5197990 by sacredceltic, translation #12542759 by rul
- Ils ont tué une chèvre en sacrifice aux dieux.They killed a goat as a sacrifice to the gods.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the noun sacrifice in the context of a ritual offering.Tatoeba #11232385 by lbdx, translation #1078658 by Scott
- Son dévouement pour sa famille l'a amenée à faire de nombreux sacrifices.Her dedication to her family led her to make many sacrifices.
- J'ai décidé de lâcher prise sur mon rêve pour le bien de ma famille.I decided to let go of my dream for the sake of my family.
- Après des sacrifices considérables, ils ont réussi à atteindre leurs objectifs.After considerable sacrifices, they managed to achieve their goals.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are discussing their career goals.
- LucasJe dois sacrifice mon temps libre pour réussir.I have to sacrifice my free time to succeed.
- ManonC'est difficile, mais c'est important pour ton futur.It's difficult, but it's important for your future.
- LucasOui, je vais sacrifice mes sorties ce mois-ci.Yes, I will sacrifice my outings this month.
- ManonJe suis fière de ta détermination, Lucas.I am proud of your determination, Lucas.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sacrifice, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sacrifice, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
