asylum: Meaning and Definition of
a•sy•lum
Pronunciation: (u-sī'lum), [key]
— n.
- (esp. formerly) an institution for the maintenance and care of the mentally ill, orphans, or other persons requiring specialized assistance.
- an inviolable refuge, as formerly for criminals and debtors; sanctuary: He sought asylum in the church.
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- a refuge granted an alien by a sovereign state on its own territory.
- a temporary refuge granted political offenders, esp. in a foreign embassy.
- any secure retreat.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.