Sanctums

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A sacred or private space, often used for religious purposes or spiritual retreats
2. Places designated for worship or contemplation, providing seclusion and a sense of peace
3. Enclosed areas that serve as refuges for individuals seeking solace or divine connection

Etymology: "Sanctums" is simply the plural of "sanctum," so its story is the story of the singular. That noun comes straight from Latin "sānctum," a neuter form meaning "that which is holy," the past participle of "sancīre," to consecrate or make sacred. Latin used the neuter form as a noun for a sacred place, and English took it over with that religious sense intact. Over time the word narrowed from the public holiness of a shrine to something more intimate: a room or retreat where a person can be alone, away from interruption. A scholar's study, a writer's private workroom, or a retreat where someone keeps their most personal things can all be called a sanctum. The word still carries the sense of a place set apart from the ordinary world, now applied to private rather than sacred space.

Synonyms: sanctuaries, shrines, holy places, temples, retreats