grail

American  

[greyl] / greɪl /

noun

1. Sometimes Grail any greatly desired and sought-after objective; ultimate ideal or reward.

   The film's protagonist is defined by the struggle for his grail, a championship title he failed to win earlier in life.

2. Often the Grail Holy Grail.

   Weeks pass, and none of the knights return, so King Arthur himself must quest for the Grail.

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Grail British  

/ ɡreɪl /

noun

1. See Holy Grail

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Etymology

Origin of grail

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English graiel, graile, from Anglo-French grahel, grayel, Old French gräel, grel, from Medieval Latin gradālis “platter,” of uncertain origin; perhaps distantly connected to Latin crātēr “mixing bowl” ( crater ( def. ) ) or crātis “wickerwork” ( grate ¹ ( def. ) )

Explanation

A grail is some valuable thing you search for or pursue. A golfer's holy grail might be a hole in one. While the object of any serious pursuit is commonly described as a "holy grail," many who use the term might not know its origin. The original Holy Grail is a valuable chalice, cup, or plate — often made of gold — that's sought in medieval and Arthurian legends. The influence of Christianity makes the grail "holy," originally because it was said to have been used at the Last Supper. Grail has a Medieval Latin root, gradalis, "flat dish."

Example Sentences

Your gut biome is the holy grail of wellness, so it’s only natural us humans would want to find it, conquer it and aggressively exploit it.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

How did an obscure startup in Finland beat Toyota, Stellantis and the entire nation of China to the holy grail of energy storage?

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

Everyone treats 2% inflation as the holy grail.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Guardiola's spending, though, has been matched by his success, delivering 18 trophies including six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four Carabao Cups and the holy grail of the Champions League in 2023.

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026

I cleared the Scoreboard off my display and opened up my grail diary, which had now grown into a vast mountain of data containing every scrap of information I’d collected since the contest began.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline