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 of sanctity

• holiness
• spirituality

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

Cooper, 51, is out to defend the sanctity of football, upset over accusations that his beloved Philadelphia Eagles won the 2025 Super Bowl only to sell wings. —Marina Watts, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026

Our legal and historical notions of agency have long depended on physical embodiment—the sanctity of a single, identifiable body. —Dan Turello, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026

The caves, virtually undisturbed for a hundred years, had an air of sanctity. —Henry Wismayer, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2026

Hospitals now have new healthcare sanctity and privacy requirements for law enforcement visits, tighter guidelines for releasing health information and instructions to protect information about patients' immigration status. —Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025

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