martyr Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun one who suffers for the sake of principle
sufferer.
noun one who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty for refusing to renounce their religion
verb kill as a martyr
- Saint Sebastian was martyred
verb torture and torment like a martyr
martyrize; martyrise.

AS., from L. martyr, Gr. ma`rtyr, ma`rtys, prop., a witness; cf. Skr. sm&rsdot; to remember, E. memory.

One who, by his death, bears witness to the truth of the gospel; one who is put to death for his religion; as, Stephen was the first Christian martyr. Chaucer.
To be a martyr, signifies only to witness the truth of Christ; but the witnessing of the truth was then so generally attended with persecution, that martyrdom now signifies not only to witness, but to witness by death South.
Hence, one who sacrifices his life, his station, or what is of great value to him, for the sake of principle, or to sustain a cause.
Then if thou fall'st, O Cromwell, Thou fall'st a blessed martyr ! Shak.

imperfect & past participle Martyred ; present participle & verbal noun Martyring

To put to death for adhering to some belief, esp. Christianity; to sacrifice on account of faith or profession. Bp. Pearson.
To persecute; to torment; to torture. Chaucer.
The lovely Amoret, whose gentle heart Thou martyrest with sorrow and with smart. Spenser.

Racked with sciatics, martyred with the stone. Pope.