sanctity

noun

sanc·​ti·​ty ˈsaŋ(k)-tə-tē 

plural sanctities

1

: holiness of life and character : godliness

2

a

: the quality or state of being holy or sacred : inviolability

b

sanctities plural : sacred objects, obligations, or rights

Synonyms

• blessedness
• devoutness
• godliness
• holiness
• piety
• piousness
• sainthood
• saintliness
• saintship

Examples of sanctity in a Sentence

the sanctity of the elderly nun shone through in her every word and gesture

Recent Examples on the Web

There could be even more than just a bronze medal—or the sanctity of a now iconic podium photo—at stake in the appeal’s outcome. —Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 12 Aug. 2024

The psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who has spent years testing the foundations of people’s moral reasoning, has found that conservatives tend to exhibit a much broader range of moral concerns, giving fairly equal weight to care, liberty, fairness, loyalty, authority, and sanctity. —Oren Cass, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2021

Aries is assertive enough to set U-Haul wheels in motion while simultaneously recognizing the need to preserve the sanctity of Aquarius’ mental space. —Jennifer Culp, Them, 31 July 2024

These principles boil down to: Democracies rest on rule of law; someone who denies the sanctity of the Constitution and serially violates our laws cannot be president. —Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post, 28 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English saunctite, from Anglo-French sainteté, from Latin sanctitat-, sanctitas, from sanctus sacred

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sanctity

noun

sanc·​ti·​ty ˈsaŋ(k)-tət-ē 

plural sanctities

1

: holiness sense 1, saintliness

2

: the quality or state of being holy or sacred