shrine

1 of 2

noun

ˈshrīn 

especially Southern ˈsrīn

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

shrine

2 of 2

verb

shrined; shrining

transitive verb

: enshrine

Synonyms of shrine

Noun

• sanctuary

Examples of shrine in a Sentence

Noun

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 on the Web

Noun

As the coffin was carried into the shrine, large crowds of mourners pushed and shoved their way to get close to it. — ABC News, 8 July 2026

There will be funeral prayers later at the Imam Hussein shrine in Karbala as well. — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Verb

In the video, the two grooms stand in front of a balloon arch and shrine for the rat hole. — Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 24 Jan. 2024

Thousands of pilgrims on their way to shrine or lodged at the base camps in Pahalgam and Sonamarg were asked to return. — Riyaz Wani, Quartz India, 4 Aug. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shrine

• brine
• chine
• cline
• dine
• fein
• fine
• gwine
• hine
• jain
• klein
• kline
• line

Kids Definition

shrine

noun

ˈshrīn

1

: a case or box for sacred relics (as the bones of a saint)

2

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

a Buddhist shrine

3

: a place that is considered sacred

visited the shrines of American independence