/ ˈsækrɪfaɪs; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C , U ] the fact of giving up sth important or valuable to you in order to get or do sth that seems more important; sth that you give up in this way :
The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality.
Her parents made sacrifices so that she could have a good education.
to make the final / supreme sacrifice (= to die for your country, to save a friend, etc.)
2.
sacrifice (to sb) [ C , U ] the act of offering sth to a god, especially an animal that has been killed in a special way; an animal, etc. that is offered in this way :
They offered sacrifices to the gods.
a human sacrifice (= a person killed as a sacrifice )
■ verb
1.
[ vn ] sacrifice sth (for sb/sth) to give up sth that is important or valuable to you in order to get or do sth that seems more important for yourself or for another person :
She sacrificed everything for her children.
The designers have sacrificed speed for fuel economy.
Would you sacrifice a football game to go out with a girl?
2.
[ vn , v ] to kill an animal or a person and offer it or them to a god, in order to please the god
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French , from Latin sacrificium ; related to sacrificus sacrificial, from sacer holy.