sanctum sanctorum

[ sangk-tawr-uhm, -tohr- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

sanctum sanctorum

/ sæŋkˈtɔːrəm /

sanctum sanctorum

Latin for “holy of holies.” The place in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem (see also Jerusalem ) where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. By extension, a sacred and private place.

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin sānctum sānctōrum, translation of Hebrew qōdhesh haqqodhāshīm holy of holies

C14: from Latin, literally: holy of holies, rendering Hebrew qōdesh haqqodāshīm

The doors of the Opera, that sanctum sanctorum, was at length to be opened to him.

He was busied in this personal experiment, when a visitor was announced and ushered into his sanctum sanctorum.

The grubs' dormitory is the sanctum sanctorum which no outsider must enter under pain of death.

And their religious temples were constructed upon the same model, with an outer court and an inner court,—a sanctum sanctorum.

Lady Katrine and Churchill laid their heads together; here, in this very sanctum sanctorum.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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