shrine

shrine — noun

1. a building, small structure, or natural site where people go to pray and show de

1.nounB2
Definition

a building, small structure, or natural site where people go to pray and show devotion because it is linked to a saint, god, or other sacred being

Example

Minh's family visits the shrine of their patron saint every year on the feast day.

shrine + of + saint for religious devotion

A small stone shrine stood at the crossroads, where villagers often stopped to pray.

Common collocations
  • visit a shrine
  • pray at a shrine
  • shrine of/to a saint
  • sacred shrine
  • hilltop shrine
  • roadside shrine
Synonyms
  • temple

    a large building for regular worship by a religious community, typically larger than a shrine

  • sanctuary

    the holiest innermost area of a place of worship, or a place offering refuge

  • chapel

    a small building or room for Christian worship, less specific to a sacred object

  • holy site

    a broader term for any place considered sacred due to religious events or figures

Usage Note

Use 'temple' for a large building where a faith community gathers regularly; use 'shrine' for a smaller holy site linked to a specific saint, deity, or sacred object.

Common Mistakes

I visited a shrine in Japan to pray to Buddha.
I visited a temple in Japan to pray to Buddha.
In Japanese contexts, Shinto sites are called shrines and Buddhist sites are called temples.

2. a location, building, or object that people treat with deep respect because it r

2.nounB2
Definition

a location, building, or object that people treat with deep respect because it reminds them of a well-known person or an important event that matters to them

Example

The old theater where the actress performed has become a shrine visited by her admirers.

become a shrine for admirers

Fans created a makeshift shrine outside the stadium to remember the player who died.

Common collocations
  • shrine to a person
  • become a shrine
  • makeshift shrine
  • turn into a shrine
  • shrine for fans
Synonyms
  • memorial

    a structure built specifically to honor a person or event, often more formal than a shrine

  • monument

    a large statue, building, or structure erected to preserve the memory of someone or something

  • tribute

    something said, written, or done to show respect or admiration for someone

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1 (HOLY PLACE), this sense does NOT require a religious connection — any place, object, or building can become a shrine due to its personal, cultural, or historical meaning.

Common Mistakes

Elvis fans built a shrine to him inside the church.
Elvis fans created a shrine to him in the museum.
A shrine in the memorial sense is not typically placed inside a place of active religious worship.

shrine — verb

Word family

  • enshrine
    verbC1
  • enshrined
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words refer to places connected with worship or religious devotion, but they differ in scale and function. A 'shrine' is typically a smaller holy site linked to a specific saint, deity, or sacred object — often where people go individually to pray or pay respects. A 'temple' is generally a larger, permanent building where a religious community gathers for regular worship services. 'Sanctuary' has two common uses: the holiest innermost area inside a place of worship (e.g., the area around an altar), or a place of safety and refuge. 'Chapel' is a small Christian worship space, often inside a larger building such as a school, hospital, or church. 'Holy site' is the broadest term, covering any location made sacred by religious events or figures — including natural landmarks. For example, pilgrims travel to a hillside shrine to pray before a saint's statue, while a community gathers inside a temple for weekly service. A small chapel in a hospital offers a quiet space for anyone to sit and reflect.

shrine ↗temple ↗sanctuary ↗chapel ↗holy site

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • reverently
  • piously

Phrases

  • visit a shrine
  • turn into a shrine
  • become a shrine
  • serve as a shrine
  • keep a shrine

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'shrine' comes from Old English 'scrin' (a box or chest for valuables), borrowed through Germanic from Latin 'scrinium' (a round box or case for keeping papers). In medieval times, the meaning shifted to refer to the container that held the remains or relics of a saint, and later extended to the entire building or site built around such a container. By the 16th century, 'shrine' had also taken on the broader non-religious sense of any place honored for its associations.