martyr

American  

[mahr-ter] / ˈmɑr tər /

noun

1. a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce their religion.

2. a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle, or cause.

   Her death has made her a martyr to the cause of social justice.

3. a person who undergoes severe or constant suffering.

   The patient was a martyr to severe headaches.

4. a person who seeks sympathy or attention by feigning or exaggerating pain, deprivation, etc.

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verb (used with object)

1. to persecute for supporting a belief or cause, especially by putting to death.

2. to torment or torture.

martyr British  

/ ˈmɑːtə /

noun

1. a person who suffers death rather than renounce his religious beliefs

2. a person who suffers greatly or dies for a cause, belief, etc

3. a person who suffers from poor health, misfortune, etc

   he's a martyr to rheumatism

4. facetious a person who feigns suffering to gain sympathy, help, etc

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verb

1. to kill as a martyr

2. to make a martyr of

Other Word Forms

• martyrish adjective
• martyrization noun
• martyrly adverb
• unmartyred adjective

Etymology

Origin of martyr

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun martir, marter, Old English martyr from Old French and Late Latin, from Late Greek mártyr, dialect variant of Greek mártys, mártyros “witness”; verb derivative of noun

Example Sentences

“The medal of honor of being the son and husband of a martyr is also a sign of the depth of their faith and sacrifice,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

Matfess pointed to how the role of martyr cemented a view of Babbitt for Trump’s followers.

From Salon • Jan. 6, 2026

He’s an unhappy but willing martyr whose heart is slowly breaking the entire time.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025

But her near mythical life—a young woman floating from the heavens to save fellow Jews—made her an enduring martyr for the young Zionists who founded Israel and for their descendants who would protect it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025

The offending piece was Theodora, a setting of a libretto by his friend Thomas Morell, which itself was based on an account of the early Christian martyr by Robert Boyle, the founder of modern chemistry.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• scapegoat