holy
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
From Middle English holi, hali, from Old English hāliġ, hāleġ (“holy, consecrated, sacred, venerated, godly, saintly, ecclesiastical, pacific, tame”), from Proto-Germanic *hailagaz (“holy, bringing health”), from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“healthy, whole”), from Proto-Indo-European *kóh₂ilus (“healthy, whole”), equivalent to whole + -y. Cognate with Scots haly (“holy”), West Frisian hillich (“holy”), Low German hillig (“holy”), Dutch heilig (“holy”), German heilig (“holy”), Danish hellig (“holy”), Swedish helig (“holy”). More at whole.
PronunciationEdit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈhəʊli/
- (US) enPR: hōʹlē, IPA(key): /ˈhoʊli/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -əʊli
- Homophones: holey, wholly
AdjectiveEdit
holy (comparative holier, superlative holiest)
- Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.
- I'm planning to visit the holy city of Jerusalem this Christmas.
- Revered in a religion.
- (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- 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).
- Set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose, or for use by a single entity or person.
- (slang) Used as an intensifier in various interjections.
- Holy cow, I can’t believe he actually lost the race!
- Those children next door are holy terrors!
SynonymsEdit
- (dedicated to a religious purpose or a god): sacred
- (revered in a religion): sacred
- (perfect, flawless): faultless, flawless, perfect
- (separated or set apart from something): sanctified
- (set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose): reserved, special
AntonymsEdit
- (revered in a religion): profane, secular, unholy, worldly
- (perfect, flawless): damaged, defective, faulty, flawed, imperfect
- (set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose): common
Derived termsEdit
- holier-than-thou
- holiest of holies
- holiness
- holy cats
- holy cow
- holy crap
- Holy Ghost
- Holy Grail
- Holy Island
- holy mackerel
- holy moly, holy moley
- holy Moses
- holy mother of God
- Holy of Holies
- Holy See
- holy shit
- holy smoke
- holy snakes
- Holy Spirit
- holy Toledo
- Holy Trinity
- holy war
- holy water
- Holy Week
- Holywell
- Holywood
Related termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
|
|
|
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
|
NounEdit
holy (plural holies)
- (archaic) A thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in Holy of Holies.
- 1882, Franz von Reber, Joseph Thacher Clarke, History of Ancient Art, p. 146:
- The holy of holies, a cubical space of ten cubits on the side, was separated from the larger antechamber by four columns, which were also covered with gold and stood upon silver sockets; they bore a second curtain of four colors.
- 1882, Franz von Reber, Joseph Thacher Clarke, History of Ancient Art, p. 146:
Derived termsEdit
TranslationsEdit
AnagramsEdit
Middle EnglishEdit
Etymology 1Edit
From Old English hāliġ, from Proto-Germanic *hailagaz; equivalent to hool + -y.
Alternative formsEdit
- hooly, holi, hooli, holye, holie, holly, hoolly, holli, hoolli, oly, oli, wholy, woly, hole, hali, haly, hayly, aly, ali, hale, hely, heli, holiȝ, holiȝe, holia, halge, halege, halȝe, hallȝhe, haliȝ, haliȝe, halie
AdjectiveEdit
holy (plural and weak singular holye, comparative holyere, superlative holyest)
- Dedicated to or separated for a religious purpose; sacred, consecrated.
- Characterized by virtue or perfection.
- 1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, page 37:
- […] of moost holi lyuynge, and best taught and moost wyse of heuenly wysdom […]
- […] of the most holy living, and the best-taught and wisest heavenly wisdom […]
Related termsEdit
DescendantsEdit
NounEdit
holy (plural holies)
- The state of being holy; holiness.
- One who is sanctified or made holy; a saint, hallow
- A sacred place; a sanctuary
Derived termsEdit
DescendantsEdit
ReferencesEdit
- “holi, adj. (2)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 August 2018.
- “holi, n.” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 August 2018.
Etymology 2Edit
Alternative formsEdit
AdjectiveEdit
holy
Derived termsEdit
DescendantsEdit
- English: holey
ReferencesEdit
- “holi, adj. (1)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 August 2018.