Mar"tyr (?), n. [AS., from L. martyr, Gr. ma`rtyr, ma`rtys, prop., a witness; cf. Skr. sm&rsdot; to remember, E. memory.]

1. One who, by his death, bears witness to the truth of the gospel; one who is put to death for his religion; as, Stephen was the first Christian martyr. Chaucer.

To be a martyr, signifies only to witness the truth of Christ; but the witnessing of the truth was then so generally attended with persecution, that martyrdom now signifies not only to witness, but to witness by death.

2. Hence, one who sacrifices his life, his station, or what is of great value to him, for the sake of principle, or to sustain a cause.

Then if thou fall'st, O Cromwell,
Thou fall'st a blessed martyr !

Mar"tyr (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Martyred (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Martyring.] 1. To put to death for adhering to some belief, esp. Christianity; to sacrifice on account of faith or profession. Bp. Pearson.

2. To persecute; to torment; to torture. Chaucer.

The lovely Amoret, whose gentle heart
Thou martyrest with sorrow and with smart.

Racked with sciatics, martyred with the stone.

• One who takes action according to his religious beliefs accepting that he will be killed by others; one who is put to death for his religion; as, Stephen was the first Christian martyr.
  
• Hence, one who sacrifices his life, his station, or what is of great value to him, for the sake of principle or to sustain a cause.
  
• (with a prepositional phrase of cause) One who suffers greatly. #:Stephen was a martyr to arthritis.
  
• To put to death for adhering to, or acting in accordance with, some belief, especially religious; to sacrifice on account of faith or profession.
  
• To persecute; to torment; to torture.
       The lovely Amoret, whose gentle heart
       Thou martyrest with sorrow and with smart. —Spenser