martyr English · revision 1037

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmɑːtə(ɹ)/ ''(UK)''; /ˈmɑɹ.tɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|martyr]], [[inh|ang|martyr]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[bor|la-lat|martyr]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|μάρτυρ|tr=mártur]], a late form of ''mártus'' “witness”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) In Middle English it was reinforced by [[fro|martir]].^(Barnhart 1995) The Greek word is sometimes connected with ''mérmēra'' “care, trouble”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) but Beekes suggests it is a loanword from a pre-Greek language.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One who voluntarily suffers death rather than renounce the Christian faith (before 900).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Christian Greek the “witness” was one who bore testimony to the faith by dying for it.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) From 1597 the word was used of anyone who dies or suffers greatly for a belief or cause,^(OED 1989) and from about 1560, hyperbolically, of a constant sufferer, as in ''a martyr to asthma''.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) The phrase ''to make a martyr of oneself'' dates from 1599.^(OED 1989) The verb, “to put to death as a martyr”, goes back to Old English,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) and “to torment” is from about 1240.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 893 – verb, to put to death as a martyr.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * before 900 – one who dies for the faith.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1240 – verb, to torment, to torture.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1560 – a constant sufferer.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1597 – one who suffers for any belief or cause.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who chooses to suffer death rather than renounce a [[religion]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person who sacrifices something of great value, especially life, for a belief, cause or principle.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person who endures great or constant suffering, as in ''a martyr to headaches''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person who exaggerates suffering to gain sympathy.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make a martyr of, especially by putting to death for religious beliefs.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To inflict great pain on; to [[torment]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[protomartyr]]

+ * [[martyrdom]]

+ * [[martyrize]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[martyrium]]

+ * [[martyrology]]

+ * [[martyry]]

+ * [[witness]]

+ * [[memory]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}