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 Adding a new weapon increases that cachet and puts more pressure on Israel after a cease-fire deal failed to take hold in Gaza before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Jon Gambrell, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 Her blonde curls bob between rows of Ramadan bunting, as the yellow glow of the sun marks the first day of the holy month. Sana Noor Haq, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 The ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, Ramadan is a holy time for Muslims that includes introspection, communal prayer, and abstaining from food and drink from sun up until sun down—that means fasting for as many as 11 to 17 hours at a time. Dua Aldasouqi, Health, 13 Mar. 2024 Photo of the day: Muslims embark on a month of spirituality, reflection Fasting began on Monday as millions of Muslims around the world observe the holy month of Ramadan. USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 The group made the announcement on the eve of Ramadan, the Muslim holy fasting month that Yemen began Monday. Compiled Bydemocrat-Gazette Stafffrom Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 12 Mar. 2024 Scores of Muslims have been lynched by Hindu mobs over allegations of eating beef or smuggling cows, an animal considered holy to Hindus. Sheikh Saaliq, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024 Fundraising and campaign efforts for Gaza are likely to increase during the holy month as a result. Sarah Dadouch, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024 International mediators have been working for weeks to broker a deal to pause the fighting before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins around March 10. Samy Magdy, Twin Cities, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'holy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near holy

Cite this Entry

“Holy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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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