sanctum sanctorum

From Latin sānctum sānctōrum (“holy of holies”), from Latin sānctum, neuter of sānctus (“holy”), and its genitive plural form sanctōrum (“of holies”); a translation of Biblical Hebrew קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים (Qṓḏeš HaqQŏḏāšîm).

sanctum sanctorum (formal)

1. The Holy of Holies in the Jewish temple.

sanctum sanctorum (plural sancta sanctorum or sanctum sanctorums) (humorous)

1. 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 Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈsaːŋk.tũː saːŋkˈtoː.rũː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈsaŋk.t̪um saŋkˈt̪ɔː.rum]

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