sanctuary
A place of safety, refuge, or protection.
Noun 4 meanings
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.”
The consecrated (or sacred) area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.
“Near-synonym: chancel (broadly synonymous)”
Etymology
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.
Similar and opposite words
SANCTUARY at a glance
SANCTUARY has 9 letters and scores 14 points in Scrabble (S 1 + A 1 + N 1 + C 3 + T 1 + U 1 + A 1 + R 1 + Y 4) and 16 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #7,847 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with sanctuary
All rhymes- MILITARY13
- SECRETARY14
- NECESSARY14
- PRIMARY14
- LIBRARY12
- MARY9
- ANNIVERSARY17
- SECONDARY15
- CONTEMPORARY21
- TEMPORARY16
- ORDINARY12
- SCARY10
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