martyr

[mahr-ter]

noun

1. a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce their religion.

2. a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle, or cause.

   Her death has made her a martyr to the cause of social justice.

3. a person who undergoes severe or constant suffering.

   The patient was a martyr to severe headaches.

4. a person who seeks sympathy or attention by feigning or exaggerating pain, deprivation, etc.

verb (used with object)

1. to persecute for supporting a belief or cause, especially by putting to death.

2. to torment or torture.

martyr

/ ˈmɑːtə /

noun

1. a person who suffers death rather than renounce his religious beliefs

2. a person who suffers greatly or dies for a cause, belief, etc

3. a person who suffers from poor health, misfortune, etc

   he's a martyr to rheumatism

4. facetious,  a person who feigns suffering to gain sympathy, help, etc

verb

1. to kill as a martyr

2. to make a martyr of

Other Word Forms

• martyrish adjective
• martyrly adverb
• unmartyred adjective
• martyrization noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of martyr¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun martir, marter, Old English martyr from Old French and Late Latin, from Late Greek mártyr, dialect variant of Greek mártys, mártyros “witness”; verb derivative of noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of martyr¹

Old English martir, from Church Latin martyr, from Late Greek martur-, martus witness

Example Sentences

Although they had already sought to mythologize in the past the supposedly noble sacrifice of Nazi activists killed in street fighting, Wessel was the first to be elevated to supreme martyr status.

From Salon

If you see someone as a martyr, then opposition to their movement is not merely disagreement, it is desecration.

From Salon

Republicans have been using the deplorable way Kirk was killed to rebrand him as a Christian martyr.

From Salon

"Progressives may wish to paint him as a martyr; but the show goes on," she wrote.

From BBC

“Once more, I am the only martyr in late nights,” he added dramatically, clutching the Emmy Award he won shortly after hearing he wouldn’t be coming back next season.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• scapegoat