holy
ˈhoʊli
holierholiesholiest
Definition Synonyms

Definition of holy - Reverso English Dictionary

Adjective

1.
religiondedicated to a religious purpose or god
  • The holy book is read daily by the monks.
blessed consecrated sacred
2.
expressionSlangused as an intensifier in slangSlang
  • Holy cow, that was an amazing performance!
excessive extreme intense
3.
virtuousRaremorally and spiritually excellentRare
  • He led a holy life devoted to helping others.
sacred saintly

Noun, plural

saints and relicspeople or objects with religious significance
  • The relics are considered holy by the community.
divine sacred saintly
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Expressions with holy

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used to express surprise or amazement
Holy cow, that was a close call!
something very important that is hard to get
Finding a cure for cancer is the holy grail of medicine.
shows strong displeasure or frustration about a situation
Holy hell, why did you do that?
show shock or disbelief in a mild, friendly way
Holy moly! I can't believe you did that!
very troublesome or mischievous child
My nephew is a holy terror at family gatherings.
ultimate goal pursued with great effort
Winning the championship was his holy grail quest.

Origin of holy

Old English, halig (sacred)

Terms with holy included in their meaning

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religious art
ring of light around a holy figure's head
religious text
the holy book of Islam
St.abbr.
abr: Saint
title for a holy person in Christianity
holy place
raised structure, often in churches, used for ceremony and prayer
religious text
small section of a holy book
religious significance
part of a deceased holy person's body or belongings kept for reverence
sacred place
holy place dedicated to a deity or revered figure
religion
state of being holy or divine

Examples of holy in a sentence

  • Holy water is used in the ceremony.
  • Holy smokes, that was a close call!
  • Holy moly, I can't believe we won!
  • She was known for her holy demeanor and kindness.
  • The holy man spent his days in prayer and meditation.
  • The holy are revered in many cultures worldwide.

View all translations of holy

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:sacré, le sacré, ...
  2. German:heilig, Heilige, ...
  3. Italian:sacro, oggetto sacro, ...
  4. Spanish:sagrado, lo sagrado, ...
  5. Portuguese:sagrado, santidade, ...
  6. Chinese:神圣的, 圣人, ...
  7. Japanese:聖なる, 聖なるもの, ...
  8. Arabic:مُقَدَّس, مُقَدَّسَات, ...
  9. Hebrew:קָדוֹשׁ, קְדוֹשִׁים, ...
  10. Russian:священный, святыня, ...
  11. Ukrainian:священний, святі, ...
  12. Hindi:पवित्र, धार्मिक वस्तु, ...

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