holiness

American  

[hoh-lee-nis] / ˈhoʊ li nɪs /

noun

1. the quality or state of being holy; sanctity.

   Synonyms:

   saintliness, godliness, blessedness

2. (initial capital letter) a title of the pope, formerly used also of other high ecclesiastics (usually preceded by His orYour ).

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Holiness ¹ British  

/ ˈhəʊlɪnɪs /

noun

1. a title once given to all bishops, but now reserved for the pope

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holiness ² British  

/ ˈhəʊlɪnɪs /

noun

1. the state or quality of being holy

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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

• self-holiness noun

Etymology

Origin of holiness

before 900; Middle English holynesse, Old English hālignes. See holy, -ness

Example Sentences

But she still knew all the words, albeit this time to a traditional hymn about the holiness of the Lord.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2025

The Archdiocese of New York recently released an update on reforms to its abuse response protocols, with Dolan arguing that “conversion is possible, healing is possible, holiness is possible even after great sin.”

From Salon • Sep. 21, 2025

Nobody calls holiness home—although, ironically, doing so is an all-too-human habit.

From Slate • May 15, 2024

Saturday’s rally took place during Shabbat, the weekly Jewish day of holiness and rest.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 14, 2023

People who make good choices in life, they unleash that holiness on the world.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Related Words

• humility
• purity
• righteousness
• sanctity