shrine
/ʃraɪn/
noun
Origin
Latin
scrīnium — a case, chest, or box for books or papers
Overview
Meaning Now
- A container or structure (often ornate) holding sacred relics or the remains of a saint or martyr.
- A place regarded as holy or hallowed because of its association with a divine being, saint, or significant event.
Literal older meaning
a case or box for relics
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Latin → Old English → English
Earliest form
scrīn
Earliest period
10th century
Journey
The term originally denoted the physical chest ('reliquary') containing the physical remains of a saint. Over time, the meaning extended to the architectural structure housing such a chest, and eventually to any place or altar dedicated to a person or deity.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*skrei-
“to cut or separate”
referring to the construction of a box from wood
- Latin
scrīnium
“desk or chest for documents”
- Old English
scrīn
“chest for relics”
loaned via Germanic pathways
- Middle English
shrine
“a sacred place or reliquary”
Connections
Word parts
shrine
root
sacred container or place
Related across languages
German
Schrein
shrine or cabinet
Dutch
schrijn
shrine
French
écrin
jewel box
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Related to shrine
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.