holy

adjective

ho·​ly ˈhō-lē How to pronounce holy (audio)
holier; holiest
1
: exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness
2
: divine
for the Lord our God is holyPsalms 99:9 (King James Version)
3
: devoted entirely to the deity or the work of the deity
a holy temple
holy prophets
4
a
: having a divine quality
holy love
b
: venerated as or as if sacred
holy scripture
a holy relic
5
used as an intensive
this is a holy mess
he was a holy terror when he drankThomas Wolfe
often used in combination as a mild oath
holy smoke
holily adverb

Examples of holy in a Sentence

a holy relic worn by one of the saints the holy monk spent many hours on his knees in prayer
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even Joe — who, for the love of all that is holy, just wants his goddamn air fryer back — can’t help but point out how little Rose has visited. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 May 2025 Although the proximate cause of the Crimean War in the mid-19th century was a dispute between Russia and the Ottoman Empire over control of Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, historians also attribute the conflict to geopolitical rivalries and imperial ambitions. Scott Neuman, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025 Unquestionably, the holy sites were the most important piece, but food is easier ... Sarah Schutte, National Review, 27 Apr. 2025 The faithful, even before the death of Pope Francis, have been flocking into the city’s holy sites: its four papal basilicas, its countless smaller churches. Jason Farago, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for holy

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English hālig; akin to Old English hāl whole — more at whole

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of holy was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

holy

adjective
ho·​ly ˈhō-lē How to pronounce holy (audio)
holier; holiest
1
: worthy of complete devotion and trust
2
: divine
3
: set apart to the service of God or a god : sacred
4
: respected as sacred
5
: complete, utter
he is a holy terror
used in combination as a mild oath
holy cow

More from Merriam-Webster on holy

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