holiness
noun
the quality or state of being holy; sanctity.
Jump to:
holiness
American
[hoh-lee-nis]
/ ˈhoʊ li nɪs /
noun
-
the quality or state of being holy; sanctity.
- Synonyms:
- saintliness, godliness, blessedness
-
(initial capital letter) a title of the pope, formerly used also of other high ecclesiastics (usually preceded by His orYour ).
Holiness
1
British
/ ˈhəʊlɪnɪs /
noun
holiness
2
British
/ ˈhəʊlɪnɪs /
noun
Usage
What does holiness mean? Holiness is a state of religious purity or devotion, as in Our faith says that holiness comes from serving other people and praying often. Holiness is also used as a title for some religions’ leaders. If you ever meet the Catholic Church’s Pope or Tibetan Buddhism’s Dalia Lama, you can refer to them as your Holiness. Example: The holiness of this relic is a hotly debated subject in religious circles.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of holiness
before 900; Middle English holynesse, Old English hālignes. See holy, -ness
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His Holiness also neglects St. Augustine’s definition in “The City of God” that peace is “the tranquility of order,” not just the absence of war.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026
The Buddhist spiritual leader was recognised in the audiobook category for Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026
"Meditation: Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama" features artists such as Rufus Wainwright, who accepted the award on behalf of the spiritual leader, and Maggie Rogers.
From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026
"His Holiness will find out how security forces are treated in Portugal," said CFS's commission secretary Cesar Nogueira.
From Reuters • Jul. 6, 2023
As I sipped sweet tea and fidgeted, his Holiness rooted around in an adjacent cabinet, brought out a large, ornately decorated book, and handed it to me.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
