santuario

sanctuary

noun sahn-TWAH-ryoh Rare

Origin: From Latin sanctuarium, from sanctus (holy).

Also means

shrine

Usage Note

Santuario covers both a religious shrine or pilgrimage site (santuario de Fátima) and a wildlife refuge (santuario de ballenas). In everyday speech it can also mean a personal haven. The adjective santuario is sometimes used attributively in ciudad santuario (sanctuary city), a recent borrowing from English usage.

Examples

"Miles de peregrinos visitan el santuario cada año."

Natural Translation

Thousands of pilgrims visit the sanctuary each year.

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