martyr
Plural: martyrs
Noun
- one who suffers for the sake of principle
- one who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty for refusing to renounce their religion
- One who willingly accepts being put to death or willingly accepts challenging and exposing iniquity done to oneself for adhering openly to one's religious beliefs; notably, saints canonized after red martyrdom.
- One who sacrifices their life, station, or something of great personal value, for the sake of principle or to sustain a cause.
- One who suffers greatly and/or constantly, even involuntarily.
- Someone who exaggerate their pain and suffering in order to gain sympathy.
Verb
Verb Forms: martyred, martyring, martyrs
- To put someone to death for adhering to a belief.
- kill as a martyr
- "Saint Sebastian was martyred"
- torture and torment like a martyr
- To make someone into a martyr by putting them to death for adhering to, or acting in accordance with, some belief, especially religious; to sacrifice on account of faith or profession.
- To persecute.
- To torment; to torture.
Examples
- Saint Stephen was the first Christian martyr.
- Some players would rather MARTYR their turn than give an opponent a lucrative opening.
- Some religious and other minorities were martyred until extinction.
- Stan is a martyr to arthritis, Chris a martyr to Stan's endless moaning about it.
- You have a great life! Stop trying to play the martyr!
Origin / Etymology
From Middle English martir, from Old English martyr, itself a borrowing from Ecclesiastical Latin martyr, from Ancient Greek μάρτυρ (mártur), later form of μάρτυς (mártus, “witness”).
Scrabble Score: 11
martyr: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordmartyr: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
martyr: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary
Words With Friends Score: 11
martyr: valid Words With Friends Word