martyr

¹mar·tyr

noun \ˈmär-tər\

Definition of MARTYR

1

: a person who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce a religion

2

: a person who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of principle

3

: victim; especially : a great or constant sufferer <a martyr to asthma all his life — A. J. Cronin>

— mar·tyr·i·za·tion \ˌmär-tə-rə-ˈzā-shən\ noun

— mar·tyr·ize \ˈmär-tə-ˌrīz\ transitive verb

Origin of MARTYR

Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Greek martyr-, martys witness

First Known Use: before 12th century

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

Rhymes with MARTYR

barter, carter, charter, darter, garter, starter, tartar