martyr

1 of 2

noun

mar·​tyr ˈmär-tər How to pronounce martyr (audio)
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
a martyr to the cause of freedom
3
: victim
especially : a great or constant sufferer
a martyr to asthma all his life A. J. Cronin
martyrization noun
martyrize transitive verb

martyr

2 of 2

verb

martyred; martyring; martyrs

transitive verb

1
: to put to death for adhering to a belief, faith, or profession
2
: to inflict agonizing pain on : torture

Examples of martyr in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
But the lack of due process has given the team the excuse to present itself as the aggrieved underdog and Harbaugh as a kind of martyr. Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 18 Nov. 2023 In the short run, that may be good politics; Trump’s self-portrayal as a martyr appears to have cemented his hold on the Republican presidential nomination. Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2023 Bishop Strickland, now a martyr to frustrated traditionalists, has an unusually powerful platform from which to voice that viewpoint. Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 11 Nov. 2023 In theory, the monument was meant to glorify a national hero, a martyr to imperialism. Michela Wrong, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2023 Cities are waiting to be rebuilt, the health system is in ruins, and public sector wages aren’t being paid. FROM TOP: A poster of a Houthi martyr, from the group that controls Yemen’s government, in an area of Hodeida damaged by fighting. Kareem Fahim, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2023 Less than 5 percent of Italy’s streets or squares are named after a woman, and half of those are saints or martyrs or the Virgin Mary. Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2023 These women are not just queens and princesses, but also vestal virgins and whores, traitors and patriots, saintly martyrs, savvy businesswomen, informers, poets, and rebels. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 8 Nov. 2023 Almost no building is free of a martyr poster, and the cemeteries overflow with those killed in clashes with Israeli troops. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2023
Verb
Why bring back Ellen Burstyn only to martyr her force? Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 Oct. 2023 Winner comes across as a sympathetic figure and a martyr, but Satter leaves ambiguous what exactly she’s been martyred for. David Klion, The New Republic, 5 June 2023 The grandson of Prophet Muhammad was martyred in Muharram; an event that is commemorated with great emphasis in Shia congregations. Manal Aman, Woman's Day, 12 June 2023 Her choice to martyr herself to a husband who sounds like a selfish deadbeat must seem puzzling to you, but your role here is not to fix her life. Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 18 Aug. 2022 As for the food and cleanup, don’t martyr yourself. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 24 July 2022 Catanzara’s potential ouster as a Chicago police officer could also martyr him to supporters in the FOP who see him as an outspoken foe of the Lightfoot administration. Jeremy Gorner, chicagotribune.com, 14 Nov. 2021 Ursula, legend holds, was a British princess martyred in Germany in the 4th century, along with as many as 11,000 of her holy companions. T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 27 May 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'martyr.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

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

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of martyr was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near martyr

Cite this Entry

“Martyr.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martyr. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

martyr

1 of 2 noun
mar·​tyr ˈmärt-ər How to pronounce martyr (audio)
1
: a person who suffers death rather than give up his or her religion
2
: one who sacrifices life or something of great value for a principle or cause
3
: a person who suffers greatly

martyr

2 of 2 verb
1
: to put to death for refusing to give up a belief
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!