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Synonyms

sanctity

American  
[sangk-ti-tee] / ˈsæŋk tɪ ti /

noun

plural

sanctities

  1. holiness, saintliness, or godliness.

  2. sacred or hallowed character.

    the inviolable sanctity of the temple.

  3. a sacred thing.

sanctity British  
/ ˈsæŋktɪtɪ /

noun

  1. the condition of being sanctified; holiness

  2. anything regarded as sanctified or holy

  3. the condition of being inviolable; sacredness

    the sanctity of marriage
"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
sanctity Idioms  

  1. see odor of sanctity.

Other Word Forms

  • nonsanctity noun
  • unsanctity noun

Etymology

Origin of sanctity

1350–1400; < Latin sānctitās holiness, equivalent to sānct- ( Sanctus ) + -itās -ity; replacing Middle English sauntite < Anglo-French < Latin, as above

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.

Now rulings by courts, the provincial government and Ottawa may undermine the sanctity of their contracts.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Our core belief regarding the sanctity of blood remains unchanged," a spokesperson for the group said.

From BBC

Defending the sanctity of the system is different from projecting strength as a virtue.

From The Wall Street Journal

"In our eyes, the sanctity of life comes before the commitment to return the remains of a fighter for burial."

From BBC

She could always get her friends to spill about any topic she wanted, insisting that no confession ever left the sanctity of her room.

From Literature

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.