sanctity
Americannoun
plural
sanctities-
holiness, saintliness, or godliness.
-
sacred or hallowed character.
the inviolable sanctity of the temple.
-
a sacred thing.
noun
-
the condition of being sanctified; holiness
-
anything regarded as sanctified or holy
-
the condition of being inviolable; sacredness
the sanctity of marriage
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sanctity
1350–1400; < Latin sānctitās holiness, equivalent to sānct- ( see Sanctus) + -itās -ity; replacing Middle English sauntite < Anglo-French < Latin, as above
Explanation
Sanctity describes something that is holy, like the sanctity of religious objects to believers. Sanctity goes back to the Latin root sanctus, meaning "holy" or "sacred." A synonym for sanctity is godliness and most religions describe God as completely holy. Sanctity also can describe sacred obligation or rights — you may have heard of the sanctity of marriage, meaning the value and respect society shows to married people.
Vocabulary lists containing sanctity
"Nature" by Ralph Waldo Emerson
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This Week in Pop Culture: April 6–12, 2019
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The Handmaid's Tale
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We will all protest nationwide today under the title of Sanctity of Quran Day and after Friday prayers.”
From Seattle Times • Jul. 7, 2023
“The Sanctity of Space” is the latest addition to the rich subgenre of nature documentaries about mountaineers attempting death-defying conquests.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2022
This year's Sanctity of Human Life Day is two weeks from now — on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022.
From Fox News • Jan. 8, 2022
And Hannah Ford of the Sanctity of Marriage group joined with a few demonstrators from both sides to pray for a peaceful day.
From US News • Sep. 28, 2016
"Have you got the Odour of Sanctity?" said Mr. Toby to the Churchwarden.
From The Old Tobacco Shop A True Account of What Befell a Little Boy in Search of Adventure by Bowen, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
