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View synonyms for holy

holy

[ hoh-lee ]

adjective

, ho·li·er, ho·li·est.
  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. 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. 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 and holy smoke. )


noun

, plural ho·lies.
  1. a place of worship; sacred place; sanctuary.

holy

/ 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. holier-than-thou
    offensively sanctimonious or self-righteous

    a holier-than-thou attitude

  5. holy terror
    1. a difficult or frightening person
    2. a person who is an active gambler, womanizer, etc


noun

    1. a sacred place
    2. functioning as plural persons or things invested with holiness

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Word History and Origins

Origin of holy1

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

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Word History and Origins

Origin of holy1

Old English hālig, hǣlig; related to Old Saxon hēlag, Gothic hailags, German heilig; see hallow

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Synonym Study

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.

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Example Sentences

Working through WhatsApp rumor mills, these groups lay siege to highways, stop vans transporting cows to cattle fairs and slaughterhouses — beef is seen as holy by many Hindus — and assault the Muslims and Dalits in those vehicles.

From Ozy

As long as we’re embodied beings, processing the world through our senses, there will be no holier grail than making sure that what those senses register is pleasurable.

I began a journey on which I met with holy men and documented varying aspects of my culture.

The holy grail of tests may be one that is fast, easy, accurate and inexpensive and that could be used broadly — even by people at home.

The holy grail of front camera design is the under-display front camera.

The Via Dolorosa ends at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and is marked by nine stations of the cross.

“You were going to work your way into my marriage and you were going to call its new three-way shape holy” the narrator recounts.

Because holy hell was that bland, unfunny, uncomfortable, and just plain confusing.

And he was indicted in Israel last week on charges he plotted to blow up sites holy to Islam.

Israelis often are amused and appalled by the crazies attracted to the Holy Land, and not only for religious reasons.

After his death crowds flocked to his grave to touch his holy monument, till the authorities caused the church yard to be shut.

His holy book says: There is more joy over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just men.

Their sin began on Holy Thursday, with so little secrecy and so bad an example, that the affair was beginning to leak out.

All these things shall be for good to the holy, so to the sinners and the ungodly they shall be turned into evil.

The spread of the holy gospel and uninterrupted preaching went on until the return of the ambassador.

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