piacular

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English

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Etymology

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Early 17th century, from French piaculaire, from Latin piacularis, derived from piaculum, from piō (I appease, purify, expiate) +-culum (instrumental suffix).

Adjective

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piacular (comparative more piacular, superlative most piacular)

  1. Requiring atonement or reparation: wicked, sinful, bad.
    • 1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica: or, Contest Ignorance, the way to Science  [], London:  [], Chapter XVII, page 103:
      And while we think it ſo piaculous, to go beyond the Ancients; we muſt neceſſarily come ſhort of genuine Antiquity, Truth; unleſs we ſuppoſe them to have reach'd perfection of Knowlege in ſpight of their own acknowledgments of Ignorance.
  2. Expiatory; serving to atone.
    • 1911, Hugh Chisholm, The Encyclopædia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and General Information, page 981:
      The piacular sacrifice arose from the need of atoning for bloodshed within the kinship group ; properly speaking, the culprit himself should suffer : should he be unknown or beyond the reach of vengeance, a substitute had to be found []
    • 2013 November 25, W.G.T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, Ravenio Books:
      The distinction between clean and unclean beasts and birds was made, a distinction which has its principal significance in reference to a piacular offering. Not any and everything may be offered as an atonement, but only that which is [clean].

Derived terms

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Anagrams

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Spanish

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /pjakuˈlaɾ/ [pja.kuˈlaɾ]
  • Rhymes: -aɾ
  • Syllabification: pia‧cu‧lar

Adjective

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piacular m or f (masculine and feminine plural piaculares)

  1. piacular