Category:Martyr

Mar"tyr, n. Etym: [AS., from L. martyr, Gr. ma`rtyr, ma`rtys, prop., a witness; cf. Skr. smrs to remember, E. memory.]

1. 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 to 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.

2. 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.

martyr Mar"tyr, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Martyred; p. pr. & vb. n. Martyring.]

1. To put to death for adhering to some belief, esp. Christianity; to sacrifices on account of faith or profession. Bp. Pearson.

2. 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.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Martyr - One who bears witness of the truth, and suffers death in the cause of Christ (Acts 22:20; Revelation 2:13; Revelation 17:6). In this sense Stephen was the first martyr. The Greek word so rendered in all other cases is translated "witness." (1.) In a court of justice (Matthew 18:16; Matthew 26:65; Acts 6:13; Acts 7:58; Hebrews 10:28; 1 Timothy 5:19). (2.) As of one bearing testimony to the truth of what he has seen or known (Luke 24:48; Acts 1:8, Acts 1:22; Romans 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:10; 1 John 1:2).