holy Meaning & Definition
What Does Holy Mean?
As an adjective, holy means Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god. It is also used to mean Revered in a religion. As an interjection, it means An expression of astonishment and awe. As a noun, it means A thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in Holy of Holies.
Holy at a Glance
| Part of speech | adjective, interjection, noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈhəʊli/ |
| Synonyms | sacred, sanctified and hallowed |
| Antonyms | unholy, unhallowed and damaged |
| Plural | holies |
| Comparative / superlative | holier, holiest |
Holy Definition (Adjective)
- Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.
I'm planning to visit the holy city of Jerusalem this Christmas.
- Revered in a religion.
This tree is considered holy in my culture.
- Morally perfect or flawless, or nearly so.
My grandmother is a very holy woman.
- Separated or set apart from (something unto something or someone else). (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- Set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose, or for use by a single entity or person.
- Used as an intensifier in various interjections.
Holy cow, I can’t believe he actually lost the race!
Holy as an Interjection
- An expression of astonishment and awe.
Holy as a Noun
- A thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in Holy of Holies.
Adjective
- Separated or set apart from (something unto something or someone else).
Synonyms of Holy
Antonyms of Holy
Holy in a Sentence
I'm planning to visit the holy city of Jerusalem this Christmas.
This tree is considered holy in my culture.
My grandmother is a very holy woman.
Holy cow, I can’t believe he actually lost the race!
Those children next door are holy terrors!
Holy mackerel
Word Forms & Grammar
holy (comparative holier, superlative holiest)
holy
holy (plural holies)
Words That Rhyme With Holy
Origin of Holy
From Middle English ali, aly, hale, halege, hali, halȝe, hayly, holi, holia, holie, holiȝ, holy, hooly, oli, oly, wholy, woly, from Old English hāleġ, hāliġ (“holy, sacred; healthy, sound”), from Proto-West Germanic *hailag, from Proto-Germanic *hailagaz (“holy, sacred”), from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“healthy; whole”), from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilos (“intact, whole; complete; hale, healthy, sound”), equivalent to whole + -y and a doublet of later wholly.
Common Questions About Holy
Is holy an adjective or an interjection?
Holy is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as an interjection and a noun.
What is another word for holy?
Close synonyms of holy are sacred, sanctified and hallowed. See the full list of holy synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of holy?
Words opposite in meaning to holy are unholy, unhallowed, damaged and defective.
What is the plural of holy?
The plural of holy is holies.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of holy?
The comparative form is holier and the superlative form is holiest.