Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Judaism) The innermost sanctuary: In the ancient Jewish Tabernacle and later in the Temple of Solomon, this was the holiest chamber where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. It was entered only by the High Priest once a year.
   • A very private or sacred place: A place where one can be free from intrusion, often a personal room or retreat.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Only the High Priest could enter the sanctum sanctorum of the Temple.
  • After a long day, he retreated to his study, his personal sanctum sanctorum.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used metaphorically to describe the most sacred, private, or essential part of something.
  • The laboratory was the sanctum sanctorum of the research institute, accessible only to senior scientists.

Variants and Related Words

• Sanctum (n): A sacred place or a private room where one is not to be disturbed. This is a more common, shortened form.
  • She treated her garden as a private sanctum.

Synonyms

• Holy of Holies: The direct English translation and synonym, used in both religious and figurative contexts.
• Inner sanctum: Emphasizes the private and exclusive nature of the place.
• Retreat: A place of privacy or safety.
• Sanctuary: A place of refuge or safety; a sacred place.

Related Phrases

• While not a phrasal verb, the phrase "one's sanctum sanctorum" is commonly used to personalize the term.
  • The library was her sanctum sanctorum, filled with her favorite books.

Related Idioms

• The inner sanctum: Used to describe a group or place that is very private, exclusive, and difficult to access, especially in organizations or power structures.
  • Decisions were made in the CEO's inner sanctum, far from the public eye.

Noun

1. (Judaism) sanctuary comprised of the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle in the temple of Solomon where the Ark of the Covenant was kept
2. a place of inviolable privacy
   • he withdrew to his sanctum sanctorum, where the children could never go