sanctuary
English · Thesaurus
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sanctuary
- /ˈsæŋktjʊəɹi/ UK
- /ˈsæŋkt͡ʃʊəɹi/ UK
- /ˈsæŋkt͡ʃuˌɛɹi/ US
Where it comes from
From Middle English seyntuarie, from Old French saintuaire, from Late Latin sanctuarium (“a sacred place, a shrine, a private cabinet, in Medieval Latin also temple, church, churchyard, cemetery, right of asylum”), from Latin sanctus (“holy, sacred”); see saint.
noun sanctuaries
- A place of safety, refuge, or protection. My car is a sanctuary, where none can disturb me except for people who cut me off.
- An area set aside for protection. The bird sanctuary has strict restrictions on visitors so the birds aren't disturbed.
- A state of being protected, asylum. The government granted sanctuary to the defector, protecting him from his former government.
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The consecrated (or sacred) area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.
Near-synonym: chancel (broadly synonymous)
Similar: presbytery, presbyterium, chancel[Appendix:Glossary
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: asylum, refuge, bema, chancel, shelter, hostel, resort, accommodation, nuthouse, madhouse, hideaway, hideout, home, hut, cabin, hall
Translations
Every language
noun place of safety or protection
| 日本語 | 避難所 hinanjo |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 避難所 /避难所 bìnànsuǒ |
| हिन्दी | शरणालय śarṇālay |
| Português | refúgio |
| Français | refuge |
| Deutsch | Zuflucht, Herberge |
| Italiano | rifugio |
| Ελληνικά | καταφύγιο katafýgio |
| Română | sanctuar, refugiu, adăpost |
| Русский | убе́жище ubéžišče, прибе́жище pribéžišče, прию́т prijút |
| עברית | מקלט m miklat, מפלט m miflat, מסתור m mistor, מחסה n makhasse |
noun area set aside for protection
| Português | santuário |
|---|---|
| Français | réserve |
| Ελληνικά | καταφύγιο katafýgio |
| Română | rezervație |
| Русский | запове́дник zapovédnik, зака́зник zakáznik, резерва́ция rezervácija |
| עברית | שמורה m shmurá |
noun state of being protected
| Français | asile |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Asyl |
| Ελληνικά | άσυλο ásylo |
| Română | azil |
| Русский | убе́жище ubéžišče |
| עברית | מקלט m miklat |
noun consecrated area
| Español | santuario |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 聖域 seiiki |
| 中文 | 聖所 /圣所 shèngsuǒ |
| Português | santuário |
| Français | sanctuaire |
| Italiano | santuario, sancta sanctorum |
| Ελληνικά | ιερό ieró, άδυτο ádyto |
| Română | sanctuar |
| Русский | святи́лище svjatílišče, алта́рь altárʹ |
| עברית | מתחם קודש m mitkham kodesh |
Talk about this word "sanctuary." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/sanctuary. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. sanctuary. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/sanctuary "sanctuary." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/sanctuary.Cite this
@misc{sanctuary_2026,
title = {sanctuary},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/sanctuary},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
