shrine
gb/ʃɹˈaɪn/ us/ʃɹˈaɪn/
B2
English
~ 6400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
holy place for worship or prayer
A special holy place, often a small building or area, where people go to pray or show respect to a god or holy person.
Usage pattern:
[someone] visits a shrine
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "shrine" with "church" or "temple". A "church" is usually a Christian place of worship, and a "temple" is often larger and used in several religions. "Shrine" can be any smaller holy place or structure, often focused on a particular god, spirit, or holy person. Learners also sometimes say "go in the shrine" instead of the more natural "go to the shrine" when talking about visiting it.
Synonyms
temple (Often a larger religious building; not always used for smaller or simpler holy places.)
|
sanctuary (Emphasizes safety and holiness; can be used more generally for any safe or sacred place.)
Antonyms
secular place (A place with no religious or sacred purpose, the opposite of a holy place.)
Collocations
visit a shrine
|Buddhist shrine
|Shinto shrine
|mountain shrine
|pilgrimage shrine
|ancient shrine
Themes
religion
|travel
|culture
Examples
- Thousands of pilgrims walk up the hill each year to visit the shrine.
- The village shrine is dedicated to the goddess of the sea.
- Please remove your shoes before entering the shrine.
- Local people leave flowers and incense at the shrine every morning.
- The government is restoring several historic shrines damaged by the earthquake.
Learner examples
- We visited a famous shrine on our trip.
- Many people come to this shrine to pray for good health.
- There is a small shrine next to the river.
- They lit candles at the shrine.
- The shrine is very quiet and peaceful.
Noun
C1
entity
2
container for holy relics or remains
A special box or small building, usually very beautiful, where the bones or other remains of a holy person are kept.
Usage pattern:
[a shrine] holds [relics or remains]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this "shrine" is always a full building, but in this sense it can also be a box, chest, or small structure. The word "reliquary" exists for this idea, but it is more technical and less common.
Synonyms
reliquary (A technical term for a container of holy relics, more precise but less common in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
dump (A place where unwanted things are thrown away, the opposite of a carefully protected and honored container.)
Collocations
stone shrine
|golden shrine
|shrine containing relics
|shrine of Saint [Name]
|open the shrine
|sealed shrine
Themes
religion
|history
|culture
Examples
- The saint’s bones are kept in a silver shrine beneath the altar.
- Archaeologists discovered a small stone shrine containing ritual objects.
- Pilgrims lined up to touch the shrine that holds the martyr’s relics.
- The museum displays a medieval shrine decorated with gold and enamel.
- Guards were posted around the shrine to protect the holy relics inside.
Learner examples
- The bones of the king are in a small shrine.
- People come to see the shrine that holds the saint’s hand.
- The old shrine is made of gold and glass.
- They opened the shrine to clean the relics.
- The shrine stands under the main altar.
Noun
C1
entity
3
place devoted to someone or something
A place or group of things that shows very strong love or respect for a person or thing, like a room full of photos and objects of a singer you like.
Usage pattern:
[a place] is a shrine to [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this use is always religious. In modern English, "shrine" is often used figuratively for a place full of things related to someone or something you deeply admire or miss, even with no religion involved (for example, a room full of band posters). Another common mistake is using the wrong preposition; the natural pattern is usually "a shrine to someone/something," not *"a shrine of someone" in this figurative sense.
Synonyms
memorial (Focuses more on remembering someone who has died; less about fan-like devotion to a hobby or celebrity.)
|
altar (Can be used figuratively for a place of intense devotion, but also keeps a strong religious flavor.)
Antonyms
eyesore (Something ugly or unpleasant to look at, opposite of a carefully arranged, lovingly kept shrine.)
Collocations
a shrine to her idols
|a shrine to his late wife
|little shrine in his room
|makeshift roadside shrine
|home shrine of photos
|online shrine to fans
Themes
emotions
|culture
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- His bedroom is basically a shrine to his favorite football team, with posters on every wall.
- She keeps a small shrine to her grandparents on a shelf, with their photos and candles.
- The café has become a kind of shrine to 1980s pop culture.
- After the accident, friends built a makeshift shrine on the corner where it happened.
- The museum is a shrine to modern design, filled with iconic chairs and lamps.
Learner examples
- Her desk is a shrine to her cat, with many photos and toys.
- The room is a shrine to the band, with posters and T-shirts everywhere.
- They made a small shrine for their friend with flowers and pictures.
- His office is a shrine to classic movies.
- Fans turned the singer’s old house into a shrine.
Grammar
Dictionary form
shrine
IPA
GB/ʃɹˈaɪn/
US/ʃɹˈaɪn/
Syllables & stress
shrine (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (shrine)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: shrine
- Plural: shrines
Word family
Forms
shrines
noun
Core family
enshrine
verb
Advanced or less common
enshrinement
noun
Expressions
shrine to
1/ʃɹˈaɪn tə/
fixed phrase
place devoted to someone or something
Used to say that a place or group of objects strongly honors or focuses on someone or something, often with love or respect.
Examples
- The living room is a shrine to her favorite movies, with DVDs and posters everywhere.
- He keeps a little corner of his desk as a shrine to his children, with photos and drawings.
- The stadium is a shrine to the history of the club.
visit a shrine
1/vˈɪzɪt ə ʃɹˈaɪn/
fixed phrase
go to a holy place
To go to a holy place or special religious site to pray, show respect, or learn about it.
Examples
- Many tourists visit a shrine during the New Year holiday.
- When you visit a shrine, you should follow the local customs.
- Pilgrims travel for days to visit a shrine high in the mountains.