heavenly
HEH-vuhn-lee
Heavenly (adj) means relating to heaven or the sky. Example: “They gazed up at the heavenly bodies through the telescope.”
adj
1
Relating to heaven or the sky.
"They gazed up at the heavenly bodies through the telescope."
"Ancient poets wrote about the heavenly spheres moving across the night sky."
"The moon and stars are sometimes called heavenly objects in old books."
2
Wonderful; extremely pleasing.
"This chocolate cake is absolutely heavenly."
"After a long walk, a hot bath felt heavenly."
"The garden smelled heavenly after the rain."
How to use heavenly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither literally relating to heaven/the sky, or, informally, simply "wonderful."
Common pairings
heavenly bodies
heavenly taste
absolutely heavenly
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Word forms
- Comparative
- heavenlier, more heavenly
- Superlative
- heavenliest, most heavenly
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They gazed up at the _____ bodies through the telescope.
Etymology
From "heaven" plus the adjective suffix "-ly."
Related words
Rhymes for heavenly
See all rhymes for heavenly →Frequently asked questions
What does “heavenly” mean?
The word “heavenly” means relating to heaven or the sky. In plain terms, either literally relating to heaven/the sky, or, informally, simply "wonderful.".
How do you pronounce “heavenly”?
“Heavenly” is pronounced HEH-vuhn-lee (/ˈhɛvənli/ in IPA).
How do you use “heavenly” in a sentence?
Here is “heavenly” used in a sentence: “They gazed up at the heavenly bodies through the telescope.”
What part of speech is “heavenly”?
“Heavenly” is an adjective.
Is “heavenly” a common word?
“Heavenly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “heavenly” have?
“Heavenly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to heaven or the sky.
What is the difference between heavenly and celestial?
Heavenly is a common, everyday word that can describe both the literal sky or heaven and something wonderfully pleasing, like a meal or a view. Celestial is more formal and technical, used mainly in astronomy and scientific writing to describe stars, planets, and space.
Can heavenly be used to describe food or experiences?
Yes, heavenly is very commonly used informally to describe something extremely pleasing, such as heavenly food, heavenly weather, or a heavenly holiday. This figurative sense is often more frequent in everyday speech than its literal meaning relating to the sky or heaven.
Is heavenly a formal or informal word?
Heavenly works in both formal and informal contexts. In its literal sense (relating to heaven or the sky) it appears in religious, poetic, and astronomical writing, while its figurative sense (wonderful, extremely pleasing) is common in casual, conversational speech.
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