Home › Emergency Services & Public Safety › Emergency Shelters & Evacuation › sanctuary

sanctuary

SANK-choo-er-ee /ˈsæŋk.tʃu.ər.i/

nounB2IELTSTOEFLGRE

formalliterary

A place of safety, protection, or immunity from pursuit; or a holy or sacred place.

Combines physical security with a deep, almost sacred sense of inviolable protection and tranquility.

The story behind the word. Traces to Latin 'sanctuarium', from 'sanctus' (sacred or holy). In medieval English law, churches had the legal right to grant 'sanctuary'—prohibiting royal officers from arresting fugitives who reached church grounds.

Word relationships

refuge: 'Refuge' highlights safety from physical danger; 'sanctuary' adds an element of sacred protection or inviolable legal immunity.
asylum: 'Asylum' usually carries official political legal protection, whereas 'sanctuary' can be moral, spiritual, or physical.

trap: A space where one is caught and exposed to danger.

Commonly confused with

sanctity: 'Sanctity' is the state of holiness; 'sanctuary' is the physical or legal space providing protection.

Word family

sanctify (verb): To set apart or declare as holy.

Collocations

seek sanctuary
wildlife sanctuary
sanctuary city
provide sanctuary

Example sentences

"The ancient cathedral served as a temporary sanctuary for residents whose homes were swept away by flash floods." Disaster relief sanctuary center
"Authorities designated the entire coastal wetland as a sanctuary to protect displaced wildlife from industrial encroachment." Wildlife conservation policy

Memory hook

SANCTuary is a SANCTified space of safety. A sacred place of safety.

When not to use

Do not use for an ordinary room unless emphasizing peace or inviolability.

Fun facts

In medieval England, a criminal who reached a church sanctuary had 40 days to confess and agree to walk to the nearest port and leave the kingdom forever.