English

edit

Alternative forms

edit

Etymology

edit

From Middle English halidom, haliȝdom, from Old English hāliġdōm (holiness, righteousness, sanctity; holy place, sanctuary, chapel; relics, holy things; holy office; sacrament; holy doctrines), corresponding to holy +‎ -dom, from Proto-Germanic *hailagadōmaz. Cognate with Dutch heiligdom (sanctuary, shrine), German Heiligtum (sanctuary, shrine, holy relic), Swedish helgedom (shrine, sanctuary, temple, sanctum), Icelandic helgidómur (sanctuary, holy relic).

Pronunciation

edit

Noun

edit

halidom (plural halidoms)

  1. (obsolete) Holiness; sanctity; sacred honour.
  2. (archaic) A sanctuary; lands held of a religious foundation.
    • 1983, Poul Anderson, Time Patrolman (SciFi), Tom Doherty Associates, →ISBN:
      [] save for Wodan, who had a richly bedecked halidom nearby.
  3. (archaic) Something regarded as sacred; a holy relic.
    • 1819, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe:
      “By my halidom,” said he, “we have forgotten, Sir Prior, to name the fair Sovereign of Love and of Beauty, by whose white hand the palm is to be distributed.”

Anagrams

edit