odour of sanctity

名词 n.
中文释义
英 /ˌəʊdəɹ‿əv ˈsæŋktɪti/    美 /ˌoʊdəɹ‿əv ˈsæŋktɪti/

英文释义

名词 n.
  1. A sweet smell, usually likened to that of flowers, said to be emitted by the bodies of saints during their life, or especially at or after death. Middle-Ages,UK,especially,historical,uncountable
    — Perhaps, too, the opinion that the relics of the holy dead were distinguished by a peculiar fragrance, may have arisen from embalmed bodies: at first, it might honestly have obtained among the Clergy; but when they saw how willingly it was received by the people, whenever a new mine of relics was opened, care was taken that the odour of sanctity should not be wanting.
  2. A person's reputation for, or state of, holiness. UK,figuratively,uncountable,usually
    — to die in odour of sanctity
  3. A (supposed) general aura of goodness or virtue. UK,figuratively,humorous,ironic,uncountable
    — […] Kings and Queens, Princes and Princeſſes, and other Perſons of high Rank and Fortune, being able to build Churches, eaſily attained to Saintſhip, vvhich thoſe of lovver Rank, tho' perhaps much better and holier Perſons, not having vvherevvithal to build them, could not do, but lived and died, vvithout leaving the leaſt Odour of Sanctity behind them.

词形变化

odours of sanctity plural odor of sanctity alternative

词源

A calque of French odeur de sainteté (“sweet smell said to be emitted by bodies of saints at or after death”), from Late Latin odor sānctitātis (literally “odour of sanctity”) (compare odor suāvitātis (literally “sweet odour”)), from odor (“(sweet) smell, odour”) + sānctitātis (genitive singular of sānctitās (“sacredness, sanctity; holiness, virtue”)).
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