sanctuary

1 of 2

noun

sanc·​tu·​ary ˈsaŋ(k)-chə-ˌwer-ē 

plural sanctuaries

1

: a consecrated place: such as

a

: the ancient Hebrew temple at Jerusalem or its holy of holies

b(1)

: the most sacred part of a religious building (such as the part of a Christian church in which the altar is placed)

(2)

: the room in which general worship services are held

(3)

: a place (such as a church or a temple) for worship

2

a(1)

: a place of refuge and protection

(2)

: a refuge for wildlife where predators are controlled and hunting is illegal

b

: the immunity from law attached to a sanctuary

sanctuary

2 of 2

adjective

US

: relating to or being a locality that provides limited cooperation to federal officials in the enforcement of immigration laws or policies

a sanctuary jurisdiction

sanctuary policies

… the executive order … designed to crack down on so-called "sanctuary cities," municipalities that do not comply with Immigration and Customs Enforcement … requests for assistance with identifying and deporting undocumented immigrants.

—Euan McKirdy

Did you know?

Historically, churches have been places where fugitives could seek at least temporary protection from the law. In Anglo-Saxon England, churches and churchyards generally provided 40 days of immunity, and neither the sheriffs nor the army would enter to seize the outlaw. But gradually the right of sanctuary was eroded. In 1486 sanctuary for the crime of treason was disallowed, and sanctuary for most other crimes was severely restricted by Henry VIII and later abolished. In the 1980s many U.S. churches provided sanctuary to political refugees from Central America, and the U.S. government mostly chose not to interfere. Today, wildlife sanctuaries provide protection for the species within its boundaries, and farm-animal sanctuaries now rescue livestock from abuse and starvation.

Synonyms

Noun

• sanctum
• shrine

Examples of sanctuary in a Sentence

Noun

The house was a sanctuary for runaway teens.

The refugees found sanctuary when they crossed the border.

The sanctuary contains the altar of sacrifice.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Those eager to explore can check out a nearby turtle nesting sanctuary or visit the town of Tamarindo. —Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 27 May 2024

Out of its ashes arose a beautiful sanctuary that Stewart named Pentecostal Tabernacle International. —Bea. L. Hines, Miami Herald, 24 May 2024

Adjective

Changing the policy to instead help deny Russian forces sanctuary on their home turf could have a major impact on how the war plays out, according to Barros. —Matt Seyler, ABC News, 8 June 2024

However, when reviewing West Lafayette’s legislative history, the city never passed a policy establishing itself as a sanctuary city, instead adopting a resolution in 2017 that stopped short of establishing that status. —Noe Padilla, The Indianapolis Star, 31 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English seintuarie, sanctuarie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin sanctuarium, from Latin sanctus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1985, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sanctuary

• sanctuary cities

Kids Definition

sanctuary

noun

sanc·​tu·​ary ˈsaŋ(k)-chə-ˌwer-ē 

plural sanctuaries

1

: a holy or sacred place

2

: the most sacred part of a place of worship

3

: a building or room for religious worship

4

: a place that provides shelter or protection

a wildlife sanctuary

5

: protection provided by a sanctuary