shrine

noun \ ˈshrīn , especially Southern ˈsrīn \

|Updated on: 15 Aug 2018

Examples: shrine in a Sentence

Definition of shrine

1 a : a case, box, or receptacle; especially : one in which sacred relics (such as the bones of a saint) are deposited

b : a place in which devotion is paid to a saint or deity : sanctuary

c : a niche containing a religious image

2 : a receptacle (such as a tomb) for the dead

3 : a place or object hallowed by its associations

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See shrine defined for kids

Examples of shrine in a Sentence

the shrine of Saint Mary
They erected a shrine to the saint.
tourists visiting the shrines of American independence
The writer's house has become a shrine to his fans.

Recent Examples of shrine from the Web

Earlier in the day, Haley undertook an interfaith journey in New Delhi, visiting a Hindu temple, a Sikh shrine, a mosque and a church in old parts of the capital.

— Fox News, "US envoy urges Pakistan to stop protecting terrorists," 28 June 2018
Also high on this list of missing jobs: positions at churches, shrines, temples, and mosques.

— evan horowitz, BostonGlobe.com, "Why regional economies still matter," 16 June 2018
Temples and shrines throughout Japan display taiko as a symbol of purification and to dispel evil spirits.

— kaila contreras, Houston Chronicle, "Cole Branch Library in Crosby celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month," 4 May 2018
It was claimed by the Islamic State, a radical Sunni militant group, which has previously targeted mosques, shrines, schools and other sites in the same area.

— sayed salahuddin, The Seattle Times, "At least 57 Afghans killed in Kabul suicide bombing, health officials say," 23 Apr. 2018
Police say one of the men kidnapped the girl from the field and dragged her to a small shrine, where she was drugged and locked up for at least four days, and repeatedly gang-raped.

— annie gowen, chicagotribune.com, "8-year-old girl's gang rape and murder triggers new outrage over India's rape culture," 19 Apr. 2018
Sackett bought the building 14 years ago and converted the ground floor into a replica of a 19th century general store, a kind of shrine to the art of printing.

— carl nolte, SFChronicle.com, "At the Box SF, previous eras’ castoffs prove valuable today," 8 July 2018
Parked in the middle of the museum, the huge red-white-and-blue semi is the centerpiece of this shrine.

— shaun goodwin, kansascity, "How the heck did an Evel Knievel museum wind up in northeast Kansas?," 26 June 2018
Though Ubud is renowned for its shrines, don’t miss out on the superb shopping either: Gaya ceramics on its outskirts is a pottery shop run by two Italian expats that supplies brands like Bulgari with stoneware.

— mark ellwood, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Places to Visit in July," 15 June 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of shrine

Middle English, from Old English scrīn, from Latin scrinium case, chest

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

shrine Synonyms

Synonyms

sanctuary, sanctum;

Related Words

reliquary;

Other Religion (Eastern and Other) Terms

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

shrine

verb

Definition of shrine

shrined; shrining

transitive verb

: enshrine

First Known Use of shrine

14th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

SHRINE Defined for English Language Learners

shrine

noun

Definition of shrine for English Language Learners

: a place connected with a holy person or event where people go to worship
: a place that people visit because it is connected with someone or something that is important to them