1. 1. A sacred place, such as a church, temple, or mosque.
   2. The holiest part of a sacred place, as the part of a Christian church around the altar.
2. 1. A sacred place, such as a church, in which fugitives formerly were immune to arrest.
   2. Immunity to arrest afforded by a sanctuary.
3. A place of refuge or asylum.
4. A reserved area in which birds and other animals, especially wild animals, are protected from hunting or molestation. See synonyms at shelter.

[Middle English, from Old French sainctuarie, from Late Latin sānctuārium, from Latin sānctus, sacred. See sanctify.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.