Definition of SHRINE

shrine

Meanings

Plural: shrines

Noun

  • a place of worship hallowed by association with some sacred thing or person
  • A holy or sacred place dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, or similar figure of awe and respect, at which said figure is venerated or worshipped.
  • A case, box, or receptacle, especially one in which are deposited sacred relics, as the bones of a saint.
  • A place or object hallowed from its history or associations.

Verb

  • enclose in a shrine
    • "the saint's bones were enshrined in the cathedral"
  • To enshrine; to place reverently, as if in a shrine.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English shryne, from Old English scrīn (“reliquary, ark of the covenant”), from Medieval Latin scrīnium (“reliquary”), “case or chest for books or papers” in Classical Latin. Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to turn, bend”). Compare Old Norse skrín, Old High German skrīni (German Schrein).

Synonyms

enshrine

Scrabble Score: 9

shrine is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
shrine is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
shrine is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 9

shrine is a valid Words With Friends word