sanctum sanctorum

From Latin sanctum sanctōrum, translating Hebrew קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים (Qṓḏeš HaqQŏḏāšîm).

sanctum sanctorum

1. The Holy of Holies in the Jewish temple.
2. A person's most private retreat or sanctuary.
   • 1864, Charlotte Bronte, The Professor:

     Mdlle Reuter turned her eye laterally on me, to ascertain, probably, whether I was collected enough to be ushered into her sanctum sanctorum.

Semantic loan from Biblical Hebrew קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים (Qṓḏeš HaqQŏḏāšîm)

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈsaːnk.tum saːnkˈtoː.rum/, [ˈs̠äːŋkt̪ʊ̃ˑ s̠äːŋkˈt̪oːrʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈsank.tum sankˈto.rum/, [ˈsäŋkt̪um säŋkˈt̪ɔːrum]

sānctum sānctōrum n sg (genitive sānctī sānctōrum); second declension

1. Holy of Holies; holiest place

Second-declension noun (neuter) with an indeclinable portion, singular only.

• adytum

• sanciō
• sānctus