MARTYR

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Greek ~-, martys witness Date: before 12th century a person who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce a religion, a person who sacrifices something of great value and especially life itself for the sake of principle, victim , ~ization noun ~ize transitive verb II. transitive verb Date: before 12th century to put to death for adhering to a belief, faith, or profession, to inflict agonizing pain on ; torture