sanctum sanctorum


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

sanctum sanc·to·rum

 (săngk-tôr′əm)
n.
1. Judaism The innermost shrine of a tabernacle and temple; the holy of holies.
2. An inviolably private place: The clubhouse was their sanctum sanctorum.
[Late Latin sānctum sānctōrum (translation of Greek to hagion tōn hagiōn, translation of Hebrew qōdeš haqqodāšîm) : sānctum, holy place + sānctōrum, genitive pl. of sānctum, holy place.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

sanctum sanctorum

(sæŋkˈtɔːrəm)
n
1. (Judaism) Bible another term for the holy of holies
2. often facetious an especially private place
[C14: from Latin, literally: holy of holies, rendering Hebrew qōdesh haqqodāshīm]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

sanc′tum sanc•to′rum

(sæŋkˈtɔr əm, -ˈtoʊr-)
n.
1. the holy of holies of the Biblical tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem.
2. sanctum (def. 2).
[1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

sanctum sanctorum

1. the holy of holies; a place of great holiness.
2. a most private place.
See also: Places
the holy of holies; a place of great holiness.
See also: Sacredness
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

sanctum sanctorum

A Latin phrase meaning holy of holies, used to mean a place regarded as private or sacred.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.sanctum sanctorum - a place of inviolable privacysanctum sanctorum - a place of inviolable privacy; "he withdrew to his sanctum sanctorum, where the children could never go"
sanctum
retreat - a place of privacy; a place affording peace and quiet
2.sanctum sanctorum - (Judaism) sanctuary comprised of the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle in the temple of Solomon where the Ark of the Covenant was kept
holy of holies
sanctuary - a consecrated place where sacred objects are kept
Tabernacle - (Judaism) a portable sanctuary in which the Jews carried the Ark of the Covenant on their exodus
Judaism - the monotheistic religion of the Jews having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah and in the Talmud
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Mentioned in ?
References in classic literature ?
I enter a swamp as a sacred place,-- a sanctum sanctorum. There is the strength, the marrow, of Nature.
View in context
That is the time, after your Departure is taken, when the spirit of your commander communes with you in a muffled voice, as if from the sanctum sanctorum of a temple; because, call her a temple or a "hell afloat" - as some ships have been called - the captain's state-room is surely the august place in every vessel.
View in context
Now, had Tashtego perished in that head, it had been a very precious perishing; smothered in the very whitest and daintiest of fragrant spermaceti; coffined, hearsed, and tombed in the secret inner chamber and sanctum sanctorum of the whale.
View in context
Reuter turned her eye laterally on me, to ascertain, probably, whether I was collected enough to be ushered into her sanctum sanctorum. I suppose she judged me to be in a tolerable state of self-government, for she opened the door, and I followed her through.
View in context
The dry-room, this pantheon, this sanctum sanctorum of the tulip-fancier, was, as Delphi of old, interdicted to the profane uninitiated.
View in context
I saw the gate lock and locks of sanctum sanctorum opened.
Ornaments at Andhra temple found missing
A video that went viral on social media showed the crocodile crawl into the sanctum sanctorum and sat there till the forest department came in to rescue the reptile.
Crocodile strays into temple in India and gets worshipped
At Intelligence HQ at Tirpitz-Ufer, aghast briefings in the sanctum sanctorum of Canaris' office voiced what was hushed up outside.
MORNING SERIAL
Two women who entered Kerala's Sabarimala temple and sparked riots amid the closure of the sanctum sanctorum for purification rituals on Wednesday are now being protected by the police as violence spreads in the Indian state.
Two women dared, but are now in hiding from mobs
Long queues of devotees could be seen waiting to offer prayers inside the sanctum sanctorum. People braved the early morning chill to offer prayers at gurdwaras.
Devotees throng 'gurdwaras' to mark 'Gurpurab'
Speaking to the media, senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh activist Valsan Thillenkeri from Kannur who was seen speaking on the megaphone standing near the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, said he had come as a pilgrim.
Sabarimala protesters target women; police detain 200
Even gold and silver have been extensively used in the sanctum sanctorum after melting temple offerings," Sharma added.
Shimla's hilltop temple regains its past glory

Dictionary browser ?
Full browser ?