Holy Grail

noun

1

: grail

2

often not capitalized : an object or goal that is sought after for its great significance

Examples of Holy Grail in a Sentence

Finding a cure for cancer is the holy grail of medical researchers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Officials will meet at Holy Grail Tavern & Grille at The Banks at 11 a.m. to discuss safety measures and fan amenities for the game at Paycor Stadium, slated for 1 p.m. on Sept. 14. —Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2025

High-temperature superconductors have long been viewed as the ‘Holy Grail’ of energy technology, with potential applications in lossless power transmission, magnetic levitation, and advanced computing. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 8 Sep. 2025

Monetary policy’s Holy Grail is money, not interest rates. —Nino Paoli, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025

Even though Rotel Sausage Dip tends to reign supreme in Southern households come football season, there’s one more appetizer that just might be tailgating’s Holy Grail: chicken wings. —Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Holy Grail

• abigail
• cottontail
• countervail
• fingernail
• martingale
• mesoscale
• microscale
• monorail
• nanoscale
• ponytail
• swallowtail
• wensleydale

Kids Definition

Holy Grail

noun

-ˈgrā(ə)l

: the cup or platter which according to legend was used by Christ and was sought after by knights during the Middle Ages