Where does “martyr” come from?
Martyr comes from Middle English martir, from Old French martire, from Ecclesiastical Latin martyr, from Ancient Greek μάρτυρ, ultimately from Ancient Greek μάρτυς meaning witness.
martyr (English): One who willingly accepts being put to death for...
Definitions
- One who willingly accepts being put to death for...
Ancestry of “martyr”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | martir | martyr |
| 2 | Old French | martire | martyr |
| 3 | Ecclesiastical Latin | martyr | martyr, especially a Christian martyr |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | μάρτυρ | Aeolic form of μᾰ́ρτῠς |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | μάρτυς | witness; martyr |
Words derived from “martyr”