Sanctuary

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: sanc=tu=ar=y

CIDE DICTIONARY

Sanctuary, n. [OE. seintuarie, OF. saintuaire, F. sanctuaire, fr. L. sanctuarium, from sanctus sacred, holy. See Saint.].

 A sacred place; a consecrated spot; a holy and inviolable site.  [1913 Webster]
"These laws, whoever made them, bestowed on temples the privilege of sanctuary."  [1913 Webster]
"The admirable works of painting were made fuel for the fire; but some relics of it took sanctuary under ground, and escaped the common destiny."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Sanctuary, n. (pl. -ies)
1 a holy place; a church, temple, etc.
2 a the inmost recess or holiest part of a temple etc. b the part of the chancel containing the high altar.
3 a place where birds, wild animals, etc., are bred and protected.
4 a place of refuge, esp. for political refugees.
5 a immunity from arrest. b the right to offer this.
6 hist. a sacred place where a fugitive from the law or a debtor was secured by medieval Church law against arrest or violence.

Idiom

take sanctuary resort to a place of refuge.

Etymology

ME f. AF sanctuarie, OF sanctuaire f. L sanctuarium (as SAINT)

THESAURUS

Sanctuary

Indian reservation, adytum, archives, asylum, bank, bird sanctuary, bolt-hole, cache, chapel, church, concealment, corner, cover, covert, coverture, cranny, cubby, cubbyhole, dark corner, den, dugout, forest preserve, foxhole, funk hole, game preserve, game reserve, game sanctuary, harbor, harbor of refuge, harborage, haven, hideaway, hideout, hidey hole, hiding, hiding place, hole, holy of holies, holy place, house of God, house of worship, lair, library, mosque, museum, national forest, national park, niche, nook, oasis, pagoda, paradise, park, port, preserve, protection, recess, refuge, reservation, reserve, retreat, sacrarium, safe haven, safehold, safety, sanctum, sanctum sanctorum, secret place, shelter, shrine, snug harbor, stash, state forest, store, stronghold, synagogue, temple, undercovert, wilderness preserve, wildlife preserve

ROGET THESAURUS

Sanctuary

Refuge

N refuge, sanctuary, retreat, fastness, acropolis, keep, last resort, ward, prison, asylum, ark, home, refuge for the destitute, almshouse, hiding place, sanctum sanctorum, roadstead, anchorage, breakwater, mole, port, haven, harbor, harbor of refuge, seaport, pier, jetty, embankment, quay, covert, cover, shelter, screen, lee wall, wing, shield, umbrella, barrier, dashboard, dasher, wall, fort, anchor, kedge, grapnel, grappling iron, sheet anchor, killick, mainstay, support, cheek, ballast, jury mast, vent-peg, safety valve, blow-off valve, safety lamp, lightning rod, lightning conductor, safety belt, airbag, seat belt, antilock brakes, antiskid tires, snow tires, means of escape, lifeboat, lifejacket, life buoy, swimming belt, cork jacket, parachute, plank, steppingstone, emergency landing, safeguard, any port in a storm, bibere venenum in auro, valet anchora virtus.

Temple

N temple, place of worship, house of God, house of prayer, temple, cathedral, minster, church, kirk, chapel, meetinghouse, bethel, tabernacle, conventicle, basilica, fane, holy place, chantry, oratory, synagogue, mosque, marabout, pantheon, pagoda, joss house, dogobah, tope, kiosk, kiack, masjid, parsonage, rectory, vicarage, manse, deanery, glebe, Vatican, bishop's palace, Lambeth, altar, shrine, sanctuary, Holy of Holies, sanctum sanctorum, sacristy, sacrarium, communion table, holy table, Lord's table, table of the Lord, pyx, baptistery, font, piscina, stoup, aumbry, sedile, reredos, rood loft, rood screen, chancel, quire, choir, nave, aisle, transept, vestry, crypt, golgotha, calvary, Easter sepulcher, stall, pew, pulpit, ambo, lectern, reading desk, confessional, prothesis, credence, baldachin, baldacchino, apse, belfry, chapter house, presbytery, anxious-bench, anxious-seat, diaconicum, jube, mourner's bench, mourner's seat, cloisters, churchyard, monastery, priory, abbey, friary, convent, nunnery, cloister, claustral, cloistered, monastic, monasterial, conventual, ne vile fano, there's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple.