Reliquary is a container, often ornate, used to house sacred relics. It typically denotes a vessel or receptacle of reverence, historically crafted to protect items of spiritual significance. In modern usage, it can metaphorically refer to something treasured or preserved as a legacy or memory.
"The chapel displayed a gilded reliquary holding a saint’s finger bone."
"Museum curators restored the ancient reliquary to its original splendor."
"The diary was a reliquary of memories from generations past."
"Her grandmother’s locket became a reliquary for family history and identity."
Reliquary traces to the French reliquaire, from late Latin reliquarium, from reliquus ‘remaining, remainder’ + -arium, a suffix forming nouns denoting places for objects. The Latin reliquus means ‘left over, remaining’ and is related to reliquia ‘relics’ (objects venerated for historical or religious significance). The term entered English via Old French and medieval Latin ecclesiastical vocabulary, reflecting its purpose as a container for sacred relics. In medieval Europe, reliquaries were often elaborate, crafted from gold, silver, or ivory, sometimes encrusted with gems to honor saints and martyrs. The word preserved its sense of a curated collection of revered objects, evolving in usage to also describe anything cherished or ritualized that serves as a keeper of memory. The first known use in English appears in late medieval texts referring to vessels for relics, with the concept expanding in art history and museum contexts as relics and memorial objects became subjects of cultural preservation. Contemporary usage can denote a symbolic container for treasured memories or artifacts, not strictly religious, reflecting its semantic shift from literal sacred containers to figurative repositories of value.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Reliquary" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Reliquary"
-ery sounds
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Pronunciation: rɪˈliːkwəri. Stress is on the second syllable: /liː/ long E. Start with a quick, short ‘ri’ then a long ‘ee’ as in ‘reed,’ followed by ‘kwair’ with a soft ‘w’ and a schwa in the final syllable: -kwə-ry. Audio reference: you can compare pronunciations on Forvo or YouGlish by searching ‘reliquary’ to hear real-world usage in sentences.
Two frequent errors: (1) Misplacing the stress, attempting re-LI-quary with wrong emphasis; ensure primary stress on LI (/liː/). (2) Slurring the -quary into -kwary or -quary as ‘-kwəri’ without the clear /ə/ in final syllable. Correct by practicing the sequence re-li-QUA-ry with a crisp /kw/ blend and a full final -ri sound. Listen for the long E in the second syllable and maintain a light, unstressed final syllable.
US: rɪˈliːkwəri with rhotics and a strong /r/ in final syllable; UK: rɪˈliːkwəri, with non-rhotic tendencies; AU: similar to UK but with broader vowel quality and a slightly more open final syllable. The /liː/ is stable; the /kw/ cluster remains strong. Vowel length and rhoticity influence the perceived rhythm; UK and AU may sound slightly more clipped in careful speech while US emphasizes the final /ri/ as a clearer ending.
Key challenges: the bump between /liː/ and /kw/ creates a tricky consonant cluster /ˈliːkw/ that can blur into /ˈliːkwoʊ/ if rushed. The final -ary yields a light schwa + /ri/, often misarticulated as /ri/ or /riə/. Focus on crisp /kw/ with the preceding long /iː/ and a clear, light final /ri/ or /əri/. IPA guidance helps: /rɪˈliːkwəri/ in US.
Yes. The noun normally carries primary stress on the second syllable: re-LI-qua-ry. The first syllable is reduced (re-), the heart is on LI, then a lighter -quary ending. In careful speech, you’ll hear a distinct /liː/ and a crisply enunciated /kwə/ before the final /ri/. This pattern helps distinguish the word from similar-looking forms and aids in accurate listening.
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