sake

1 of 2

noun (1)

1
: end, purpose
for the sake of argument
2
a
: the good, advantage, or enhancement of some entity (such as an ideal)
free to pursue learning for its own sakeM. S. Eisenhower
b
: personal or social welfare, safety, or benefit

sake

2 of 2

noun (2)

sa·​ke ˈsä-kē How to pronounce sake (audio)
variants or saki
: a Japanese alcoholic beverage of fermented rice often served hot

Examples of sake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Don’t limit yourself for the sake of someone else’s feelings; do what’s best for you. Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024 And kudos to Tyler for never forsaking his outsider status for the sake of mainstream exposure, or capitulating to any hip-hop trends over the past decade. Eric Renner Brown, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2024 Secondly, Generation-Z tends to do plenty of research before making a purchase for the sake of comparison and making an optimal purchase. Zsuzsa Kecsmar, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 By the late 20th century, the world economic system and its cultural tentacles had advanced a rationalist commercial logic that increasingly shunned art and beauty for their own sake. Brandon Sanchez, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sake 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, dispute, guilt, purpose, from Old English sacu guilt, action at law; akin to Old High German sahha action at law, cause, Old English sēcan to seek — more at seek

Noun (2)

Japanese sake

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1682, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sake was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near sake

Cite this Entry

“Sake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sake. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sake

1 of 2 noun
1
: goal sense 2, purpose
for the sake of argument
2
: the good of something : advantage
the sake of our country

sake

2 of 2 noun
sa·​ke
variants or saki
: a Japanese alcoholic drink made from rice
Etymology

Noun

Old English sacu "guilt, legal action"

Noun

Japanese

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!