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View synonyms for

martyr

[mahr-ter]

noun

  1. a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce their religion.

  2. a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle, or cause.

    Her death has made her a martyr to the cause of social justice.

  3. a person who undergoes severe or constant suffering.

    The patient was a martyr to severe headaches.

  4. a person who seeks sympathy or attention by feigning or exaggerating pain, deprivation, etc.



verb (used with object)

  1. to persecute for supporting a belief or cause, especially by putting to death.

  2. to torment or torture.

martyr

/ ˈɑːə /

noun

  1. a person who suffers death rather than renounce his religious beliefs

  2. a person who suffers greatly or dies for a cause, belief, etc

  3. a person who suffers from poor health, misfortune, etc

    he's a martyr to rheumatism

  4. facetiousa person who feigns suffering to gain sympathy, help, etc

“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

verb

  1. to kill as a martyr

  2. to make a martyr of

“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
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Other Word Forms

  • martyrish adjective
  • martyrly adverb
  • unmartyred adjective
  • ˌٲˈپDz noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of martyr1

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun martir, marter, Old English martyr from Old French and Late Latin, from Late Greek áٲ, dialect variant of Greek mártys, mártyros “witness”; verb derivative of noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of martyr1

Old English martir, from Church Latin martyr, from Late Greek martur-, martus witness
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Being carted away in handcuffs by officials in Trump’s Justice Department would probably elevate Newsom to Democratic martyr status.

From

But the editor of a local paper in Wolverhampton, where Powell had made his speech, said Heath had "made a martyr" of Powell.

From

Speaking on a podcast which originally aired in late March, he said that the war with Israel was "eternal", adding: "We will rebuild the houses and produce dozens more babies for each martyr."

From

The most commonly used name has been John, first chosen in 523 by Saint John I, Pope and martyr.

From

It added that "a number of casualties" had been documented as "civilian martyrs", meaning they have been unjustly killed and entitling them to compensation.

From

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