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sanctum

UK/ˈsæŋktəm/US/ˈsæŋktəm/
nounC1Occasional — familiar, but not everyday · #9,792 of 15,258leans written

Other forms: sancta, sanctums

A sanctum is a sacred or very private place. The inner sanctum, his sanctum, retreat to the sanctum.

Inner sanctum is the fixed phrase and is used far more often than the plain word — it means the most private room and, figuratively, the closest circle around somebody powerful. In a temple the sanctum is the holiest part, entered by few. Note sanctuary and sanctify, from the same Latin; and that sanctum means simply a holy thing.

Definitions of sanctum

  1. 1nounsanctumA sacred or very private place.C1

    “His study was his private sanctum, and the children were never allowed inside.”

sanctum is a private or sacred place.

Where it comes from

Latin sanctum means that which is holy, from sancire, to make sacred. Saint, sanction and sanctuary come from the same holiness.

  1. Latin

    sanctum — that which is holy

  2. English, today

    sanctum

From Latin sanctum (“that which is holy”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in A Song of Ice and Fire

Practise this word

sanctum in the wild

  • The Garbhagriha in Hindu temples has been compared to a sanctum sanctorum, and is sometimes translated into English as such.

    Sanctum sanctorum

  • The wooden doors to the sanctum are carved with images of the Ashtavinayaka (the eight manifestations of Ganesha in Maharashtra).

    Siddhivinayak Temple, Mumbai

  • The sanctum of Jambukeswara has an underground stream.

    Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval

  • The sanctum contains a Shiva linga, the symbol of the presiding deity, God Shiva.

    Doddabasappa Temple

  • The temple interior is a standard construction and consists of a sanctum (cella), a vestibule (antarala) and a main mantapa (also called navaranga or hall).

    Doddabasappa Temple

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.