shrine

[shrahyn]

noun

1. a building or other shelter, often of a stately or sumptuous character, enclosing the remains or relics of a saint or other holy person and forming an object of religious veneration and pilgrimage.

2. any place or object hallowed by its history or associations.

   a historic shrine.

3. any structure or place consecrated or devoted to some saint, holy person, or deity, as an altar, chapel, church, or temple.

4. a receptacle for sacred relics; a reliquary.

verb (used with object)

shrined, shrining 

1. to enshrine.

shrine

/ ʃraɪn /

noun

1. a place of worship hallowed by association with a sacred person or object

2. a container for sacred relics

3. the tomb of a saint or other holy person

4. a place or site venerated for its association with a famous person or event

5. RC Church a building, alcove, or shelf arranged as a setting for a statue, picture, or other representation of Christ, the Virgin Mary, or a saint

verb

1. short for enshrine

Other Word Forms

• shrineless adjective
• shrinelike adjective
• unshrined adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of shrine¹

before 1000; Middle English schrine, Old English scrīn (cognate with German Schrein, Dutch schrijn ) < Latin scrīnium case for books and papers

Word History and Origins

Origin of shrine¹

Old English scrīn, from Latin scrīnium bookcase; related to Old Norse skrin, Old High German skrīni

Example Sentences

The new head of Japan's ruling party Sanae Takaichi avoided visiting a controversial Tokyo war shrine on Friday, as political wrangling intensifies over her bid to become prime minister.

Read more on Barron's

For appetizing acolytes, the primary shrine is Russ & Daughters’ often-mobbed original store on East Houston Street.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This includes her previous regular visits to the Yasukuni shrine honouring Japan's war dead, including war criminals.

Read more on Barron's

The shrine was tucked away down a side street on the edge of the city - a low-roofed room crowded with carved figures.

Read more on BBC

She's also a regular visitor of the controversial Yasukuni shrine where Japan's war dead including some convicted war criminals are memorialised.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• altar 
• chapel 
• church 
• holy place 
• mausoleum 
• sanctuary 
• temple