martyr

1 of 2

noun

mar·​tyr ˈmär-tər How to pronounce martyr (audio)
1
: a person who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce a religion
2
: a person who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of principle
a martyr to the cause of freedom
3
: victim
especially : a great or constant sufferer
a martyr to asthma all his life A. J. Cronin
martyrization noun
martyrize transitive verb

martyr

2 of 2

verb

martyred; martyring; martyrs

transitive verb

1
: to put to death for adhering to a belief, faith, or profession
2
: to inflict agonizing pain on : torture

Examples of martyr in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Saint is a stand-in for his father, who envisions himself as a martyr being attacked by all sides. Jayson Buford, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2025 Yoko, a new biography about Ono by David Sheff, opens with a prologue about Cut Piece, introducing her—as provocateur, martyr, and social experimenter—through the lens of her own creation. Beatrice Loayza, ARTnews.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
Gregorios Bishara, priest of the Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation, was martyred this morning at the hands of the pro-HTS armed factions that raided the city of Baniyas. William Lambers, Newsweek, 8 Mar. 2025 King was martyred for his role in that struggle for freedom and equality that has bettered the lives of all Americans, not solely African-Americans. Paul L. Newman, New York Daily News, 20 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for martyr

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Greek martyr-, martys witness

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of martyr was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Martyr.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/martyr. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

martyr

1 of 2 noun
mar·​tyr ˈmärt-ər How to pronounce martyr (audio)
1
: a person who suffers death rather than give up his or her religion
2
: one who sacrifices life or something of great value for a principle or cause
3
: a person who suffers greatly

martyr

2 of 2 verb
1
: to put to death for refusing to give up a belief
2

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