sanctum

noun sanc·tum \ ˈsaŋ(k)-təm \

Updated on: 1 May 2018

Definition of sanctum

plural sanctums also sancta play \ˈsaŋ(k)-tə\

1 : a sacred place

2 : a place where one is free from intrusion

an editor's sanctum

the inner sanctums of research

See sanctum defined for English-language learners

See sanctum defined for kids

Examples of sanctum in a Sentence

Her office was her sanctum.
the sanctum of a church

Recent Examples of sanctum from the Web

Hannity's journey into Trump's political sanctum took a decade to develop.

— author: robert costa, sarah ellison, josh dawsey, Anchorage Daily News, "Hannity’s rising role in Trump’s world: ‘He basically has a desk in the place.’," 18 Apr. 2018
This strikes at the inner sanctum: your lawyer, your CPA, your barber, your therapist, your bartender.

— james hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Why Mark Zuckerberg is embracing more regulation of political ads on Facebook," 10 Apr. 2018
Before long, the team brought Mejdal into their inner sanctum.

— jared diamond, WSJ, "The Data Wonk Who Became a Coach," 29 Mar. 2018
Sanders would not provide detailed answers on why a senior aide whose two ex-wives had told the FBI early last year they were abused continued to see classified information and work in the president’s inner sanctum.

— josh dawsey, Washington Post, "White House declines to provide detailed account of senior aide’s firing over abuse allegations," 12 Feb. 2018
Newsletter Sign-up After stepping down in October from the Politburo Standing Committee, the inner sanctum of party power, Mr. Wang continued to meet informally with visiting influential foreigners.

— lingling wei, WSJ, "China Selects Ex-Anticorruption Chief as Vice President to Focus on U.S. Ties," 17 Mar. 2018
Neither man is a member of the Politburo, let alone its inner sanctum, the Politburo Standing Committee.

— The Economist, "Back to the old daysXi Jinping decides to abolish presidential term limits," 1 Mar. 2018
This inner sanctum is subdivided into six square modules.

— leah ollman, latimes.com, "A walk through Robert Irwin's new 5,000-square-foot sculpture," 20 Feb. 2018
Yet the prospect of inviting outsiders into her inner sanctum makes Good uneasy.

— jeremy lybarger, Longreads, "The Encylopedia of the Missing," 11 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sanctum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of sanctum

Late Latin, from Latin, neuter of sanctus sacred

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1577

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

sanctum Synonyms

Synonyms

asylum, harbor, harborage, haven, refuge, retreat, sanctuary, shelter;

Related Words

oasis;

anchorage, mooring, port;

cover, screen;

housing, lodging, quarters, residence, rest, roof;

cloister, closet, covert, den, hermitage, hideaway, hideout, lair;

lean-to, lee, shed, windbreak;

Other Religion (Eastern and Other) Terms

Zen, antinomian, avatar, gnosticism, illuminati, ineffable, karma, koan, mantra

SANCTUM Defined for English Language Learners

sanctum

noun

Definition of sanctum for English Language Learners

: a place where you are not bothered by other people
: a holy or sacred place

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sanctum

Definition of sanctum

Examples of sanctum in a Sentence

Recent Examples of sanctum from the Web

Origin and Etymology of sanctum

sanctum Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Religion (Eastern and Other) Terms

SANCTUM Defined for English Language Learners

sanctum

Definition of sanctum for English Language Learners

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sanctum

Definition of sanctum

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Origin and Etymology of sanctum

sanctum Synonyms

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Other Religion (Eastern and Other) Terms

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SANCTUM Defined for English Language Learners

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Definition of sanctum for English Language Learners

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