1540年代，「犧牲，作為祭品殺死」，來自拉丁語 immolatus，是 immolare 的過去分詞，意為「犧牲，作為供品獻上」，因此在廣義上指「殺死，屠殺」，最初和詞源學上意為「用祭祀的麵粉灑上」；來自 in- 的同化形式「進入，在，上」(來自印歐語根 *en "in") + mola (salsa) 「(祭祀用的)麵粉」，與 molere 「磨碎」相關 (來自印歐語根 *mele- "to crush, grind")。相關詞：Immolated; immolating。
The victim (
victima is used of the larger,
hostia of the smaller animals) was led to the altar adorned with the sacred band of white wool (
infula) and ribands (
vittae); the horns were sometimes gilded. As in the Greek rule, the victim must come willingly. Then followed the
immolatio, also a counterpart of the Greek ritual, which consisted in dedicating the animal by strewing on its head the
mola salsa or prepared cake (perhaps also called
fertum) with wine and incense, and with the words
macte esto hoc ture et hoc vino. The beast was then slain .... [Cornish (ed.), "Concise Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities," 1898]
祭品（victima 指較大的動物，hostia 指較小的動物）被帶到祭壇上，裝飾著白色羊毛的神聖帶（infula）和絲帶（vittae）；有時角會被鍍金。按照希臘的規則，祭品必須自願來到。然後進行 immolatio，這也是希臘儀式的對應部分，內容包括在動物的頭上撒上 mola salsa 或準備好的蛋糕（可能也稱為 fertum），並灑上酒和香，並說 macte esto hoc ture et hoc vino。然後動物被殺死…… [Cornish (ed.), "Concise Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities," 1898]
在現代用法中，通常意味著 自我焚燒（1779年證實的短語）、「自我犧牲」，與自殺（suicide）區別開來。
That acts of suicide were common among the general population of Rome, is not so certain as that self immolation was prescribed to every noble soul, in every instance where the country could be benefited by it. Examples of heroic devotedness occur in every page of Roman history. [Richard Chenevix, "An Essay Upon National Character," 1832]
在羅馬的一般人口中，自殺行為是否普遍尚不確定，但每當國家能從中受益時，自我犧牲被規定為每個高尚靈魂的責任。在羅馬歷史的每一頁中都能找到英雄奉獻的例子。[Richard Chenevix, "An Essay Upon National Character," 1832]
特別是在1800年之後，常常指英屬印度的風俗，尤其是殉夫自焚，這可能賦予其與火焰祭祀死亡的流行聯想。
