holy
HOH-lee
Holy (adj) means Regarded as sacred or dedicated to a god or religious purpose. Example: “The temple is a holy place where visitors remove their shoes.”
adj
1
Regarded as sacred or dedicated to a god or religious purpose.
"The temple is a holy place where visitors remove their shoes."
"Pilgrims travel long distances to visit the holy city."
"They treated the relic as a holy object."
2
Morally pure or without sin.
"People spoke of her as a holy woman who never harmed anyone."
"He wanted to live a holy and blameless life."
"The monk lived a holy life devoted to prayer and service."
intj
1
Used at the start of an exclamation to express shock or surprise.
"Holy smoke, that bill is much bigger than I expected!"
"Holy moly, you scared me when you jumped out like that!"
""Holy cow, did you see that catch?""
How to use holy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSacred, connected to God or religion — or, in casual speech, just a way to express surprise ("holy smokes!").
Easily confused with
Common pairings
holy water
holy day
holy ground
holy cow
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Word forms
- Plural
- holies
- Comparative
- holier
- Superlative
- holiest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The temple is a _____ place where visitors remove their shoes.
Etymology
From Old English hālig, related to hāl ("whole, healthy") — the same root that gives us the word "whole."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for holy
See all rhymes for holy →Frequently asked questions
What does “holy” mean?
The word “holy” means regarded as sacred or dedicated to a god or religious purpose. In plain terms, sacred, connected to God or religion — or, in casual speech, just a way to express surprise ("holy smokes!").
How do you pronounce “holy”?
“Holy” is pronounced HOH-lee (/ˈhoʊli/ in IPA).
How do you use “holy” in a sentence?
Here is “holy” used in a sentence: “Pilgrims travel long distances to visit the holy city.”
What is another word for “holy”?
Words with a similar meaning to “holy” include blessed, celestial, devoutful, divine, hallowed and heavenly.
What is the opposite of “holy”?
The opposite of “holy” — its antonyms — are profane, secular, unhallowed, unholy and worldly.
What part of speech is “holy”?
Depending on how it is used, “holy” can be an adjective and an intj.
Where does the word “holy” come from?
The word “holy” comes from Old English. From Old English hālig, related to hāl ("whole, healthy") — the same root that gives us the word "whole.".
Is “holy” a common word?
“Holy” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between holy and sacred?
The two overlap heavily. 'Sacred' describes something set apart for religious use or treated with deep respect — a sacred text, a sacred site. 'Holy' carries a stronger sense of divine purity or closeness to God, and applies to beings as well as things, as in 'a holy person.' Sacred is also used more loosely for anything greatly cherished.
What is the opposite of holy?
The most direct opposites are 'unholy' and 'profane,' both suggesting a lack of sanctity or active disrespect toward the sacred. 'Secular' is the neutral opposite, meaning simply worldly or non-religious rather than evil. Which one fits depends on your meaning: 'profane' implies irreverence, while 'secular' just marks the absence of a religious quality.
Is holy only used in religion?
Primarily, yes — its core meaning ties something to God or to religious devotion. But it also appears in everyday and figurative speech, from exclamations like 'holy cow' to treating a rule as 'holy,' meaning absolutely not to be broken. In those uses it borrows the weight and seriousness of the religious sense.
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