I. ˈmär]d.ər, ˈmȧ]d.ə(r, ]tə-\ noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English martir, marter, from Old English martir, martyr, from Late Latin martyr, from Greek martyr-, martys witness, martyr; akin to Latin memor mindful — more at memory
1. : one who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty of witnessing to and refusing to renounce his religion or a tenet, principle, or practice belonging to it
modern-day missionary martyrs
2. : one who sacrifices his life, station, or what is of great value for the sake of principle or to sustain a cause
3.
a. : a great or constant sufferer (as from disease)
a martyr to rheumatism
b. : one who adopts a specious air of suffering or deprivation especially as a means of attracting sympathy or attention
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English martiren, martren, from Old English martyrian, martrian, from martyr, martir, n.
1. : to put to death for adhering to a belief, faith, or profession (as Christianity) : make a martyr of
2. : to inflict agonizing pain upon : torture
3. archaic : to torture to death : kill by a cruel means
4. obsolete : to mutilate or disfigure with or as if with wounds