godliness

[god-lee-nuhs]

noun

1. the quality or practice of conforming to the laws and wishes of God; devoutness and moral uprightness.

   To be wise is to live in godliness, reflecting the nature of the kingdom of God in the course of everyday life.

Word History and Origins

Origin of godliness¹

godly ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

Alcuin told the first holy Roman emperor to ignore such declarations of public godliness “since the riotousness of the crowd is always very close to madness.”

From Los Angeles Times

The Dorothy Day way to return “our country to a place of godliness” is not by government order but by the example of living a life of Christian service.

From Salon

Trump masks his abhorrent rhetoric in the cloak of godliness because with God on his side, he’s infallible.

From Salon

Once again, we see how “Society of the Snow” emphasizes a transferring of spirituality into people and things — consumption is equated with a pervasive sense of godliness, whatever form God takes.

From Salon

Whatever happened to “Cleanliness is next to godliness?”

From Literature