holy of holies

noun phrase

: the innermost and most sacred chamber of the Jewish tabernacle and temple

Word History

Etymology

translation of Late Latin sanctum sanctorum, translation of Hebrew qōdhesh haq-qŏdhāshīm

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of holy of holies was in 1641

Dictionary Entries Near holy of holies

Cite this Entry

“Holy of holies.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy%20of%20holies. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on holy of holies

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


Which Came First?

  • baby chick with a brown egg
  • hot take or cold shoulder?
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY