grail

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noun \ ˈgrāl \

Definition of grail

1 capitalized :the cup or platter used according to medieval legend by Christ at the Last Supper and thereafter the object of knightly quests

2 :the object of an extended or difficult quest

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Recent Examples of grail from the Web

Every fashion season has standout collections, and within those there are the pieces that become etched in your brain as must-cop, holy grail, full-paycheck worthy.

— the editors of gq style, GQ, "The 10 Flyest Designer Pieces of the Season," 28 Aug. 2017
The Guggenheim is exhibiting his gassy rendering of the holy grail, radiating light while a dove spreads its beneficent wings.

— jason farago, New York Times, "Mystical Symbolists in All Their Kitschy Glory," 13 July 2017
A device that helps people with diabetes eliminate finger-pricking has been something of a holy grail for scientists.

— emily matchar, Smithsonian, "A Blood-Monitoring Device Inspired by Mosquitoes," 8 July 2017
FAIRVIEW PARK - For most librarians, visiting the Library of Congress is the holy grail.

— john benson, cleveland.com, "Fairview Park City Schools librarian selected for Library of Congress program," 6 July 2017
Named for a famous Berkeley, Calif, typewriter shop, California Typewriter follows various stories of aficionados, some of whom create works of art from these increasingly obscure tools while others seek out the holy grail of their collection.

— brian truitt, USA TODAY, "Tom Hanks shares vintage love in exclusive 'California Typewriter' trailer," 6 July 2017
On the roster is a 21-year old future star—a 7-foot-3 big man that appears to be the holy grail of modern NBA centers.

— jared dubin, GQ, "Running the Knicks Is Still One of the Best NBA Jobs Available," 3 July 2017
But are their days as the holy grail of drug delivery (and discovery) coming to an end?

— erika fry, Fortune, "for coverage from TIME, Health, Fortune and more," 29 June 2017
Garcia’s report was once expected to be explosive and became a holy grail for FIFA critics who thought the votes could be re-run.

— rob harris, The Seattle Times, "FIFA corruption mystery revealed in leak of World Cup probe," 27 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grail.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of grail

Middle English greal, graal, from Middle French, bowl, grail, from Medieval Latin gradalis

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First Known Use: 14th century

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