What does sanctuary mean?

Definitions for sanctuary
ˈsæŋk tʃuˌɛr isanc·tu·a·ry

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word sanctuary.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. sanctuarynoun

    a consecrated place where sacred objects are kept

  2. refuge, sanctuary, asylumnoun

    a shelter from danger or hardship

  3. chancel, sanctuary, bemanoun

    area around the altar of a church for the clergy and choir; often enclosed by a lattice or railing

Wiktionary

  1. sanctuarynoun

    A place of safety, refuge or protection.

    My car is a sanctuary, where none can disturb me except for people who cut me off.

  2. sanctuarynoun

    An area set aside for protection.

    The bird sanctuary has strict restrictions on visitors so the birds aren't disturbed.

  3. sanctuarynoun

    A state of being protected, asylum.

    The government granted sanctuary to the defector, protecting him from his former government.

  4. sanctuarynoun

    The consecrated (or sacred) area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.

  5. Etymology: From sanctuary, from saintuaire, from sanctuarium, from sanctus; see saint.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. SANCTUARYnoun

    Etymology: sanctuaire, Fr. sanctuarium, Latin.

    Having waste ground enough,
    Shall we desire to raze the sanctuary,
    And pitch our evils there. William Shakespeare.

    They often plac’d
    Within his sanctuary itself their shrines. John Milton.

    Let it not be imagined, that they contribute nothing to the happiness of the country who only serve God in the duties of a holy life, who attend his sanctuary, and daily address his goodness. John Rogers, Sermons.

    Come, my boy, we will to sanctuary. William Shakespeare, R. III.

    I’ll hence forthwith unto the sanctuary,
    To save at least the heir of Edward’s right. William Shakespeare, H. VI.

    Oft have I heard of sanctuary men;
    But sanctuary children, ne’er ’till now. William Shakespeare, R. III.

    He fled to Beverly, where he and divers of his company registered themselves sanctuary men. Francis Bacon, Henry VII.

    Howsoever the sanctuary man was protected from his creditors, yet his goods out of sanctuary should not. Francis Bacon, H. VII.

    This our high place, our sanctuary, our hill. John Milton.

    What are the bulls to the frogs, or the lakes to the meadows? Very much, says the frog; for he that’s worsted will be sure to take sanctuary in the fens. Roger L'Estrange.

    The admirable works of painting were made fuel for the fire; but some reliques of it took sanctuary under ground, and escaped the common destiny. John Dryden, Dufresnoy.

Wikipedia

  1. Sanctuary

    A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a safe place for people, such as a political sanctuary; and non-human sanctuary, such as an animal or plant sanctuary.

ChatGPT

  1. sanctuary

    A sanctuary is a place of safety or refuge, often associated with a sacred or protected space. It can be a specific physical location, such as a church, temple, or wildlife refuge, where certain protections are in place. The term can also be used metaphorically to denote any place where one feels particularly safe, secure, or at peace.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Sanctuarynoun

    a sacred place; a consecrated spot; a holy and inviolable site

  2. Sanctuarynoun

    the most retired part of the temple at Jerusalem, called the Holy of Holies, in which was kept the ark of the covenant, and into which no person was permitted to enter except the high priest, and he only once a year, to intercede for the people; also, the most sacred part of the tabernacle; also, the temple at Jerusalem

  3. Sanctuarynoun

    the most sacred part of any religious building, esp. that part of a Christian church in which the altar is placed

  4. Sanctuarynoun

    a house consecrated to the worship of God; a place where divine service is performed; a church, temple, or other place of worship

  5. Sanctuarynoun

    a sacred and inviolable asylum; a place of refuge and protection; shelter; refuge; protection

  6. Etymology: [OE. seintuarie, OF. saintuaire, F. sanctuaire, fr. L. sanctuarium, from sanctus sacred, holy. See Saint.]

Wikidata

  1. Sanctuary

    A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a safe haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a safe place for humans, such as a political sanctuary; and non-human sanctuary, such as an animal or plant sanctuary.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms

  1. sanctuary

    A nation or area near or contiguous to the combat area that, by tacit agreement between the warring powers, is exempt from attack and therefore serves as a refuge for staging, logistic, or other activities of the combatant powers.

Suggested Resources

  1. sanctuary

    Song lyrics by sanctuary -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by sanctuary on the Lyrics.com website.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of sanctuary in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of sanctuary in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of sanctuary in a Sentence

  1. President Barack Obama:

    Submerged countries, abandoned cities, fields that no longer grow. Political disruptions that trigger new conflicts, leaving more floods of desperate people seeking sanctuary in nations not their own.

  2. President Trump:

    Just recently, Mecklenburg Countyset free an illegal alien charged with first-degree rape and crimes against a child, support for sanctuary cities is disloyalty to American cities -- and McCready wants sanctuary cities, with all of their protections for people who are serious criminals. Tomorrow is your chance to send a clear message to the America-hating left.

  3. President Trump:

    We're sending many many of them to sanctuary cities, they ain't too happy about it. I'm proud to tell you that was actually my sick idea.

  4. Donald Trump:

    In recent weeks an elderly homeless woman was allegedly beaten to death by a twice-deported illegal alien that was not supposed to be in this country, in the sanctuary city of Philadelphia, I went to school in Philadelphia, local officials released a previously deported illegal alien back onto the streets after his release. The illegal alien raped a very young child. I won't even tell you how old this child was.

  5. Gary Paulsen:

    And it became a sanctuary for me, the librarian -- she watched me for a while. I was kind of this urchin, you know, a street urchin. Then she finally said, you want something ? I said, nah I'm OK. And she gave me a card and -- hard to talk about it. It was a card with my name on it. And, God, nobody had given me anything like that. Nobody gave me anything.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

sanctuary#10000#10384#100000

Translations for sanctuary

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"sanctuary." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 16 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/sanctuary>.

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