sanctuary.

1. A place regarded as holy, including a church or a sacred inner area within one.

2. A place where someone or something is protected from danger, pursuit, or harmful interference.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• a sacred sanctuary
• the church sanctuary

On the page

The sanctuary was empty, but a single candle remained near the altar.

She paused before entering the sanctuary until the attendant beckoned.

Usage notes

Primary category: gothic. Forms: Singular sanctuary; plural sanctuaries. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings.