holy

American  

[hoh-lee] / ˈhoʊ li /

adjective

holier, holiest

1. specially recognized as or declared sacred by religious use or authority; consecrated.

   holy ground.

   Synonyms:

   blessed

2. dedicated or devoted to the service of God, the church, or religion.

   a holy man.

3. saintly; godly; pious; devout.

   a holy life.

   Antonyms:

   impious, corrupt

4. having a spiritually pure quality.

   a holy love.

   Synonyms:

   spiritual

   Antonyms:

   impious, corrupt

5. entitled to worship or veneration as or as if sacred.

   a holy relic.

6. religious.

   holy rites.

7. inspiring fear, awe, or grave distress.

   The director, when angry, is a holy terror.

8. (used in certain interjections to express surprise, bewilderment, or wonder, as in holy cow andholy smoke. )

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noun

plural

holies

1. a place of worship; sacred place; sanctuary.

holy British  

/ ˈhəʊlɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or associated with God or a deity; sacred

2. endowed or invested with extreme purity or sublimity

3. devout, godly, or virtuous

4. offensively sanctimonious or self-righteous

   a holier-than-thou attitude

5. 1. a difficult or frightening person

   2. informal a person who is an active gambler, womanizer, etc

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noun

1. 1. a sacred place

   2. (functioning as plural) persons or things invested with holiness

Related Words

Holy, sacred, consecrated, hallowed imply possession of a sanctity that is the object of religious veneration. Holy refers to the divine, that which has its sanctity directly from God or is connected with Him: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Something that is sacred, while sometimes accepted as entitled to religious veneration, may have its sanctity from human authority: a sacred oath. Something that is consecrated is specially or formally dedicated to some religious use: a life consecrated to service. Something that is hallowed has been made holy by being worshiped: a hallowed shrine.

Etymology

Origin of holy

First recorded before 900; Middle English holi, Old English hālig, variant of hāleg, equivalent to hāl whole + -eg -y ¹; cognate with Dutch, German heilig, Old Norse heilagr

Explanation

Something that is sacred can be described as holy, like the Holy Bible. So can anything associated with God, like a holy day that is observed by attending worship ceremonies. The adjective holy comes from the Old English word hālig and is related to the German word heilig, meaning “blessed.” There is a relationship between holy and whole, and the religious sense probably developed from keeping believers spiritually whole — and pure. A place, object, or person who has been blessed can be described as holy, meaning "associated with God."

Example Sentences

Neymar brought profile and panache to Paris but could not deliver the holy grail of European success, Denilson's trickery failed to help Real Betis beat the drop, a car crash curtailed Gigi Lentini's buccaneering brilliance.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

In 1947 Truman reached out to Pope Pius XII, pledging to work with the holy father for “an enduring peace,” and assured the pope that the U.S. “is a Christian Nation.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

In Catholic school, holy cards are a big deal.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

At Al-Aqsa, Islam's third holiest site which was closed during most of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan this year, thousands of worshippers performed the ritual dawn prayer under a heavy police presence.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Where is the holy sound of clashing swords?

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Related Words

• divine
• hallowed
• humble
• pure
• revered
• righteous
• spiritual
• sublime