Definition of "asylum" []

• An institution for the care of people, especially those with physical or mental impairments, who require organized supervision or assistance. (noun)
• A place offering protection and safety; a shelter. (noun)
• A place, such as a church, formerly constituting an inviolable refuge for criminals or debtors. (noun)
• The protection afforded by a sanctuary. See Synonyms at shelter. (noun)
• Protection and immunity from extradition granted by a government to a political refugee from another country. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "It stars a few recognisable names and is getting quite a bit of praise for the comical yet relevant look at the people behind the term asylum seekers."
• "I think, if anything, it's causing people to look at the term asylum and put it in a 21st century defenition"
• "Samantha Haque: Do you think that there's a danger that Andre's case trivializes the term asylum seeker?"