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holy war

See more synonyms for holy war on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a war waged for what is supposed or proclaimed to be a holy purpose, as the defense of faith.
  2. any disagreement or argument between fanatical proponents of radically differing beliefs, opinions, etc.: a holy war on the merits of rival computer operating systems; a holy war about welfare reform.
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Origin of holy war

First recorded in 1685–95
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for holy war

Historical Examples

  • After this success Ghz (Victor in a Holy-war) was written amongst the royal titles.

    The Bbur-nma in English

    Babur, Emperor of Hindustan

  • The favourite system of this King was the Holy-War, and his intemperate zeal led to the point before us.

  • In 1106 gathered another council at Poitiers, a holy-war rally, but the war was to be waged on Christian Constantinople.

    How France Built Her Cathedrals

    Elizabeth Boyle O'Reilly

British Dictionary definitions for holy war

holy war

noun
  1. a war waged in the cause of a religion
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012