shrine

noun \ ˈshrīn , especially Southern ˈsrīn \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

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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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

The John Paul relic will reside permanently in the shrine’s upper church.

— andrew grant, BostonGlobe.com, "Cardinal Sean O’Malley presents relic of St. John Paul II at Salem shrine," 9 Apr. 2018
Several flower vases near the shrine were also destroyed.

— lyndsay winkley, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Woman suspected of vandalizing Logan Heights church arrested," 5 Apr. 2018
But before going out to purchase another new crystal, take a page from a simple (and free) Buddhist practice, which calls for a fresh bowl of water to be left on a shrine every day.

— zoe ruffner, Vogue, "How to Create a Sacred Space Inside Your Home, According to This L.A. Wellness Guru," 3 Apr. 2018
Media: Brandpoint The diocesan shrine and surrounding facilities, which are the property of the Archdiocese of Galveston and Houston, were inundated with more than 4 feet of water.

— jennifer michelle greenberg, Houston Chronicle, "Dickinson Shrine of the True Cross church, school make progress in Harvey recovery," 29 Mar. 2018
In 1984, the authorities determined that a Jewish militant group was plotting to blow up the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, one of Islam’s holiest shrines.

— yardena schwartz, Newsweek, "Israel’s Alt-Right Is Now Mainstream—Are Lawmakers Doing Enough to Stop It?," 7 Mar. 2018
The bishop of Lourdes, Nicolas Brouwet announced the declaration during Mass at the shrine’s basilica.

— elaine ganley, The Seattle Times, "Bishop declares nun’s recovery as 70th Lourdes miracle," 11 Feb. 2018
Many Milwaukee and Wauwatosa residents will be relieved to know the beloved Catholic shrine is not part of the sale.

— karen pilarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Our Dominican Sisters of the Perpetual Rosary convent in Milwaukee listed for sale," 12 Jan. 2018
Mohammed Ibrahim Ali, a retired engineer, patiently waited for the polls to open at Cairo's bustling Sayda Zeinab neighborhood, home to a famous Islamic shrine.

— maggie michael and brian rohan, chicagotribune.com, "Egypt votes for president, with el-Sissi certain to win," 26 Mar. 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