holy

[ hoh-lee ]

adjective

, ho·li·er, ho·li·est.

1. specially recognized as or declared sacred by religious use or authority; consecrated:

   holy ground.

   Synonyms: blessed

2. dedicated or devoted to the service of God, the church, or religion:

   a holy man.

3. saintly; godly; pious; devout:

   a holy life.

   Antonyms: impious, corrupt

4. having a spiritually pure quality:

   a holy love.

   Synonyms: spiritual

   Antonyms: impious, corrupt

5. entitled to worship or veneration as or as if sacred:

   a holy relic.

6. religious ( def 1 ):

   holy rites.

7. inspiring fear, awe, or grave distress:

   The director, when angry, is a holy terror.

8. (used in certain interjections to express surprise, bewilderment, or wonder, as in holy cow and holy smoke. )

noun

, plural ho·lies.

1. a place of worship; sacred place; sanctuary.

holy

/ ˈhəʊlɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or associated with God or a deity; sacred
2. endowed or invested with extreme purity or sublimity
3. devout, godly, or virtuous
4. holier-than-thou
   holier-than-thou offensively sanctimonious or self-righteous

   a holier-than-thou attitude

5. holy terror
   holy terror
   1. a difficult or frightening person
   2. a person who is an active gambler, womanizer, etc

noun

1. 1. a sacred place
   2. the holy functioning as plural persons or things invested with holiness

Word History and Origins

Origin of holy¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English holi, Old English hālig, variant of hāleg, equivalent to hāl whole + -eg -y ¹; cognate with Dutch, German heilig, Old Norse heilagr

Word History and Origins

Origin of holy¹

Old English hālig, hǣlig; related to Old Saxon hēlag, Gothic hailags, German heilig; see hallow

Synonym Study

Holy, sacred, consecrated, hallowed imply possession of a sanctity that is the object of religious veneration. Holy refers to the divine, that which has its sanctity directly from God or is connected with Him: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Something that is sacred, while sometimes accepted as entitled to religious veneration, may have its sanctity from human authority: a sacred oath. Something that is consecrated is specially or formally dedicated to some religious use: a life consecrated to service. Something that is hallowed has been made holy by being worshiped: a hallowed shrine.

Example Sentences

The Via Dolorosa ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and is marked by nine stations of the cross.

From The Daily Beast

“You were going to work your way into my marriage and you were going to call its new three-way shape holy” the narrator recounts.

From The Daily Beast

Because holy hell was that bland, unfunny, uncomfortable, and just plain confusing.

From The Daily Beast

And he was indicted in Israel last week on charges he plotted to blow up sites holy to Islam.

From The Daily Beast

Israelis often are amused and appalled by the crazies attracted to the Holy Land, and not only for religious reasons.

From The Daily Beast

After his death crowds flocked to his grave to touch his holy monument, till the authorities caused the church yard to be shut.

From Project Gutenberg

His holy book says: There is more joy over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just men.

From Project Gutenberg

Their sin began on Holy Thursday, with so little secrecy and so bad an example, that the affair was beginning to leak out.

From Project Gutenberg

All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.

From Project Gutenberg

The spread of the holy gospel and uninterrupted preaching went on until the return of the ambassador.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• divine
• hallowed
• humble
• pure
• revered
• righteous
• spiritual
• sublime