/ ˈsæŋktəti; NAmE / noun [ U ]
1.
sanctity (of sth) the state of being very important and worth protecting :
the sanctity of marriage
2.
the state of being holy :
a life of sanctity, like that of St Francis
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense saintliness ): from Old French sainctite , reinforced by Latin sanctitas , from sanctus holy.