Divine vs. Sacred — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on April 25, 2024
Divine relates to God or a deity, often implying a heavenly or godly nature, while sacred refers to something regarded with great respect and reverence, especially in a religious context.
Difference Between Divine and Sacred
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Divine typically refers to qualities, entities, or phenomena that are associated with a god or deity, highlighting a connection to the supernatural or celestial. Whereas, sacred describes things considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion, often due to their association with divinity or religious significance.
Something divine directly pertains to or is characteristic of a god, such as divine laws or divine intervention, implying an otherworldly source. On the other hand, something sacred, while also connected to religion, can include objects, places, or practices deemed holy and protected by religious belief.
Divine is often used to describe attributes or actions believed to emanate from a deity, like divine wisdom or divine beauty, suggesting perfection or an ideal state. Whereas, sacred often connotes sanctity preserved through human acknowledgment and reverence, like sacred texts or sacred land.
In literature and art, divine may refer to inspiration believed to be influenced by deities, considered superior or of a higher nature. In contrast, sacred might refer to the portrayal of subjects that are hallowed, respected, and often ritualistic, such as sacred icons or themes.
When discussing moral or ethical contexts, actions considered divine typically carry a connotation of ultimate goodness or justice, thought to reflect divine will. Sacred, in such contexts, refers to principles or duties that are inviolable due to their perceived sanctity and moral weight.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Related to, or of, God or a deity.
Regarded with reverence and respect, often in a religious context.
Nature
Supernatural, heavenly.
Holy, consecrated.
Typical Usage
Attributes, phenomena associated with deities.
Objects, places, practices considered worthy of reverence.
Example Contexts
Divine intervention, divine law.
Sacred rituals, sacred sites.
Connotation
Celestial, perfect, ideal.
Revered, protected, inviolable.
Compare with Definitions
Divine
To foretell through or as if through the insight of a deity.
The sage can divine the future using ancient rituals.
Sacred
Connected with God (or the gods) or dedicated to a religious purpose and so deserving veneration.
The sacred temple is visited by thousands annually.
Divine
Pertaining to or characteristic of God or a deity.
They prayed for divine protection during the storm.
Sacred
Highly valued and important, deserving great respect.
The constitution holds a sacred place in the nation's history.
Divine
Being a deity or god.
In many religions, deities are considered divine.
Sacred
(of a duty or service) Regarded with deep respect.
They performed the sacred rituals exactly as prescribed.
Divine
Of, from, or like God.
The priest shared his belief in divine love.
Sacred
Religious rather than secular.
Sacred music often accompanies worship services.
Divine
Excellent; delightful in a way resembling a deity.
The choir's performance was simply divine.
Sacred
Protected from interference or intrusion.
The community considers these woods to be sacred and off-limits to developers.
Divine
Having the nature of or being a deity.
Sacred
Connected with God or a god or dedicated to a religious purpose and so deserving veneration
Sacred rites
The site at Eleusis is sacred to Demeter
Divine
Of, relating to, emanating from, or being the expression of a deity
Sought divine guidance through meditation.
Sacred
Dedicated to or set apart for the worship of a deity.
Divine
Being in the service or worship of a deity; sacred.
Sacred
Worthy of religious veneration
The sacred teachings of the Buddha.
Divine
Superhuman; godlike.
Sacred
Made or declared holy
Sacred bread and wine.
Divine
Supremely good or beautiful; magnificent
A divine performance of the concerto.
Sacred
Dedicated or devoted exclusively to a single use, purpose, or person
Sacred to the memory of her sister.
A private office sacred to the President.
Divine
Extremely pleasant; delightful
Had a divine time at the ball.
Sacred
Worthy of respect; venerable.
Divine
A cleric.
Sacred
Of or relating to religious objects, rites, or practices.
Divine
A theologian.
Sacred
Characterized by solemn religious ceremony or religious use, especially, in a positive sense; consecrated, made holy.
A sacred place
A sacred day
Sacred service
Divine
To foretell, especially by divination.
Sacred
Religious; relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular
Divine
To guess or know by inspiration or intuition
Somehow divined the answer despite not having read the assignment.
Sacred
Spiritual; concerned with metaphysics.
Divine
To locate (underground water or minerals) with a divining rod; douse.
Sacred
Designated or exalted by a divine sanction; possessing the highest title to obedience, honor, reverence, or veneration; entitled to extreme reverence; venerable.
Divine
To practice divination.
Sacred
Not to be profaned or violated; inviolable.
Divine
To guess.
Sacred
(followed by the preposition "to") Consecrated; dedicated; devoted
Divine
Of or pertaining to a god.
Sacred
(archaic) Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful.
Divine
Eternal, holy, or otherwise godlike.
Sacred
Simple past tense and past participle of sacre
Divine
Of superhuman or surpassing excellence.
Sacred
Set apart by solemn religious ceremony; especially, in a good sense, made holy; set apart to religious use; consecrated; not profane or common; as, a sacred place; a sacred day; sacred service.
Divine
Beautiful, heavenly.
Sacred
Relating to religion, or to the services of religion; not secular; religious; as, sacred history.
Smit with the love of sacred song.
Divine
(obsolete) Foreboding; prescient.
Sacred
Hence, not to be profaned or violated; inviolable.
Secrets of marriage still are sacred held.
Divine
Relating to divinity or theology.
Sacred
Consecrated; dedicated; devoted; - with to.
A temple, sacred to the queen of love.
Divine
One skilled in divinity; a theologian.
Sacred
Solemnly devoted, in a bad sense, as to evil, vengeance, curse, or the like; accursed; baleful.
But, to destruction sacred and devote.
Divine
A minister of the gospel; a priest; a clergyman.
Sacred
Concerned with religion or religious purposes;
Sacred texts
Sacred rites
Sacred music
Divine
(often capitalized, with 'the') God or a god, particularly in its aspect as a transcendental concept.
Sacred
Worthy of respect or dedication;
Saw motherhood as woman's sacred calling
Divine
(transitive) To foretell (something), especially by the use of divination.
Sacred
Made or declared or believed to be holy; devoted to a deity or some religious ceremony or use;
A consecrated chursh
The sacred mosque
Sacred elephants
Sacred bread and wine
Sanctified wine
Divine
(transitive) To guess or discover (something) through intuition or insight.
Sacred
Worthy of religious veneration;
The sacred name of Jesus
Jerusalem's hallowed soil
Divine
(transitive) To search for (underground objects or water) using a divining rod.
Sacred
(often followed by `to') devoted exclusively to a single use or purpose or person;
A fund sacred to charity
A morning hour sacred to study
A private office sacred to the President
Divine
To render divine; to deify.
Divine
Of or belonging to God; as, divine perfections; the divine will.
Divine
Proceeding from God; as, divine judgments.
Divine
Appropriated to God, or celebrating his praise; religious; pious; holy; as, divine service; divine songs; divine worship.
Divine
Pertaining to, or proceeding from, a deity; partaking of the nature of a god or the gods.
Divine
Godlike; heavenly; excellent in the highest degree; supremely admirable; apparently above what is human. In this application, the word admits of comparison; as, the divinest mind.
A divine sentence is in the lips of the king.
But not to one in this benighted ageIs that diviner inspiration given.
Divine
Presageful; foreboding; prescient.
Yet oft his heart, divine of something ill,Misgave him.
Divine
Relating to divinity or theology.
Church history and other divine learning.
Divine
One skilled in divinity; a theologian.
Divine
A minister of the gospel; a priest; a clergyman.
The first divines of New England were surpassed by none in extensive erudition.
Divine
To foresee or foreknow; to detect; to anticipate; to conjecture.
A sagacity which divined the evil designs.
Divine
To foretell; to predict; to presage.
Darest thou . . . divine his downfall?
Divine
To render divine; to deify.
Living on earth like angel new divined.
Divine
To use or practice divination; to foretell by divination; to utter prognostications.
The prophets thereof divine for money.
Divine
To have or feel a presage or foreboding.
Suggest but truth to my divining thoughts.
Divine
To conjecture or guess; as, to divine rightly.
Divine
Terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
Divine
A clergyman or other person in religious orders
Divine
Perceive intuitively or through some inexplicable perceptive powers
Divine
Search by divining, as if with a rod;
He claimed he could divine underground water
Divine
Emanating from God;
Divine judgment
Divine guidance
Everything is black1 or white...satanic or godlyt
Divine
Resulting from divine providence;
Providential care
A providential visitation
Divine
Being or having the nature of a god;
The custom of killing the divine king upon any serious failure of his...powers
The divine will
The divine capacity for love
'Tis wise to learn; 'tis God-like to create
Divine
Devoted to or in the service or worship of a deity;
Divine worship
Divine liturgy
Divine
Appropriate to or befitting a god;
The divine strength of Achilles
A man of godlike sagacity
Man must play God for he has acquired certain godlike powers
Divine
Of such surpassing excellence as to suggest divine inspiration;
Her pies were simply divine
The divine Shakespeare
An elysian meal
An inspired performance
Common Curiosities
What types of places are typically considered sacred?
Places like churches, temples, and other religious sites are typically considered sacred.
What is a common example of divine intervention?
Divine intervention is often seen as a god directly influencing events, such as miracles in religious texts.
How does an object become sacred?
An object becomes sacred through its association with religious significance or its dedication for religious purposes.
Can morality be considered sacred?
Yes, certain moral principles can be considered sacred when they are central to a religion's teachings and deeply revered.
What role does divinity play in religious teachings?
Divinity is central in religious teachings, often representing ideals, moral guidance, and the basis for worship.
How is sacred music distinct?
Sacred music is specifically composed for religious ceremonies and is intended to elevate spiritual worship.
Why might art be described as divine?
Art can be described as divine when it seems inspired by or capturing something of the celestial or supernatural.
What makes something divine?
Something is considered divine if it pertains to or is characteristic of a deity or god.
Can divine and sacred be used interchangeably?
While both relate to religious contexts, divine specifically refers to godly aspects, whereas sacred refers to things deserving reverence.
How do divine laws differ from human laws?
Divine laws are believed to come directly from a deity and hold a moral authority beyond human laws.
What is an example of a sacred practice?
Communion in Christianity is a sacred practice involving sacred rituals and items.
What is the difference between divine and sacred texts?
Divine texts are believed to be the word of God directly, while sacred texts hold religious authority and reverence.
Why are certain animals considered sacred?
Certain animals are considered sacred due to their religious symbolism or their role in religious myths and stories.
Can secular objects become sacred?
Secular objects can become sacred if they are used in religious contexts or sanctified through religious rituals.
Is nature ever considered sacred?
Yes, many cultures view aspects of nature, like mountains or rivers, as sacred due to their spiritual significance.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
