"A shrine, oratory, or church built in memory of a martyr; a building marking the place of a martyrdom or the site of a martyr's relics", Mid 17th cent.; earliest use found in Christopher Cartwright (bap. 1602, d. 1658), Church of England clergyman and religious controversialist. From post-classical Latin martyrium and its etymon ancient Greek μαρτύριον: see martyre.[martyrion etymology, martyrion origin, 英语词源]