sacr/sanct

holy; sacred

Spelled sacr, sanct · sacer 'sacred'; sanctus 'holy', from sancire 'make sacred, establish solemnly'

Latin sacer meant 'sacred': a sanctuary is sacred ground, sacrifice makes an offering sacred, and sacrilege violates what is holy.

Words built from it

sacrosanct — treated as too important or sacred to question or change
sacro (by a sacred rite) + sanct (holy)
sanctimonious — making a show of being morally superior
sanct (holy) + -imony (state or quality) + -ous (having the quality of)
desecrate — damage or disrespect something sacred
de- (remove) + sacr (sacred) + -ate (make)
sacrifice — an offering to a deity, or something given up for a greater purpose
sacr (sacred) + fic (make)
sanctuary — a sacred place or a place of protection
sanct (holy) + -uary (place)
consecrate — formally dedicate to a sacred purpose
con- (intensively) + sacr (sacred) + -ate (make)
sacrilege — serious disrespect toward something sacred
sacr (sacred) + leg (take)
sanction — official approval, or a penalty used to enforce a rule
sanct (establish solemnly) + -ion (action or result)

massacre — Contains sacr, but comes from Old French macacre (butchery, slaughter); no relation to Latin sacer (holy).