mortify

[ mawr-tuh-fahy ]
See synonyms for: mortifymortifiedmortifying on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),mor·ti·fied, mor·ti·fy·ing.
  1. to humiliate or shame, as by injury to one's pride or self-respect.

  2. to subjugate (the body, passions, etc.) by abstinence, ascetic discipline, or self-inflicted suffering.

  1. Pathology. to affect with gangrene or necrosis.

verb (used without object),mor·ti·fied, mor·ti·fy·ing.
  1. to practice mortification or disciplinary austerities.

  2. Pathology. to undergo mortification; become gangrened or necrosed.

Origin of mortify

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English mortifien, from Middle French mortifier, from Late Latin mortificāre “to put to death,” equivalent to Latin morti- (stem of mors ) “death” + -ficāre -fy

synonym study For mortify

1. See ashamed.

Other words for mortify

Other words from mortify

  • mor·ti·fi·er, noun
  • mor·ti·fy·ing·ly, adverb
  • pre·mor·ti·fy, verb (used with object), pre·mor·ti·fied, pre·mor·ti·fy·ing.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use mortify in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mortify

mortify

/ (ˈmɔːtɪˌfaɪ) /


verb-fies, -fying or -fied
  1. (tr) to humiliate or cause to feel shame

  2. (tr) Christianity to subdue and bring under control by self-denial, disciplinary exercises, etc

  1. (intr) to undergo tissue death or become gangrenous

Origin of mortify

1
C14: via Old French from Church Latin mortificāre to put to death, from Latin mors death + facere to do

Derived forms of mortify

  • mortifier, noun
  • mortifying, adjective
  • mortifyingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012