martyr
noun
- person who sacrificed their life for a cause
verb
- make someone a martyr
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈmɐːtə(ɹ)/ / [ˈmɐːtə(ɹ)] / [ˈmɐːɾə(ɹ)]
noun
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”).
- 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.
“The apostle Stephen was the first Christian martyr.”
“Fr. Felipe Císcar Puig was a Valencian priest who is also also considered a martyr of the sacramental seal because he was martyred after keeping confessions secret during the religious persecution of the Spanish Civil War.”
- 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 or constantly, even involuntarily.
“Stan is a martyr to arthritis, Chris a martyr to Stan's endless moaning about it.”
“He'd been a martyr to asthma all his life.”
- Someone who exaggerates their pain and suffering in order to gain sympathy.
“You have a great life! Stop trying to play the martyr!”
verb
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”).
- 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.
“Fr. Felipe Císcar Puig was a Valencian priest who is also also considered a martyr of the sacramental seal because he was martyred after keeping confessions secret during the religious persecution of the Spanish Civil War.”
- To persecute.
“Some religious and other minorities were martyred until extinction.”
- To torment; to torture.
“Hark, wretches, how I mean to martyr you. This one hand yet is left to cut your throats, Whiles that Lavinia ’tween her stumps doth hold The basin that receives your guilty blood.”
“[…]The louely Amoret, whoſe gentle hart Thou martyreſt with ſorow and with ſmart,[…]”