martyr
[ mahr-ter ]
/ ˈmɑr tər /
noun
a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce his or her religion.
a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle, or cause: a martyr to the cause of social justice.
a person who undergoes severe or constant suffering: a martyr to severe headaches.
a person who seeks sympathy or attention by feigning or exaggerating pain, deprivation, etc.
verb (used with object)
to make a martyr of, especially by putting to death.
to torment or torture.
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Nearby words
martinson, martinsville, martinů, martlet, martnet, martyr, martyrdom, martyrium, martyrize, martyrology, martyry
Origin of martyr
before 900; (noun) Middle English marter, Old English martyr < Late Latin < Late Greek mártyr, variant of Greek mártys, mártyros witness; (v.) Middle English martiren, Old English martyrian, derivative of noun
Related forms
mar·tyr·ish, adjectivemar·tyr·ly, adverb, adjectiveun·mar·tyred, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for martyr
British Dictionary definitions for martyr
martyr
/ (ˈmɑːtə) /
noun
a person who suffers death rather than renounce his religious beliefs
a person who suffers greatly or dies for a cause, belief, etc
a person who suffers from poor health, misfortune, etche's a martyr to rheumatism
facetious, or derogatory a person who feigns suffering to gain sympathy, help, etc
verb Also: 'martyrˌize, 'martyrˌise (tr)
to kill as a martyr
to make a martyr of
Derived Forms
martyrization or martyrisation, nounWord Origin for martyr
Old English martir, from Church Latin martyr, from Late Greek martur-, martus witness
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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