holy

English Online Dictionary. What means holy‎? What does holy mean?

English

Alternative forms

• holie, hooly (archaic)
• Holy (when referring to someone or something important)
• 'oly (pronunciation spelling)

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English holi, hali, from Old English hāliġ, hāleġ (“holy, consecrated, sacred, venerated, godly, saintly, ecclesiastical, pacific, tame”), from Proto-West Germanic *hailag, from Proto-Germanic *hailagaz (“holy, bringing health”), from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“healthy, whole”), from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilos (“healthy, whole”), equivalent to whole +‎ -y and a doublet of later wholly.

Cognate with Scots haly (“holy”), West Frisian hillich (“holy”), Low German hillig (“holy”), Dutch heilig (“holy”), German heilig (“holy”), Danish hellig (“holy”), Swedish helig (“holy”). More at whole.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhəʊli/
• (US) enPR: hōʹlē, IPA^(key): /ˈhoʊli/
• Rhymes: -əʊli
• Homophones: wholly, holey (in accents without the wholly-holy split)

Adjective

holy (comparative holier, superlative holiest)

1. Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.

2. Revered in a religion.

3. Morally perfect or flawless, or nearly so.

4. Separated or set apart from (something unto something or someone else). (Can we add an example for this sense?)
5. Set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose, or for use by a single entity or person.
6. (slang) Used as an intensifier in various interjections.

Synonyms

• (dedicated to a religious purpose or a god): sacred, godly
• (revered in a religion): sacred, godly
• (perfect, flawless): faultless, flawless, perfect
• (separated or set apart from something): sanctified
• (set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose): reserved, special

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “revered in a religion”): profane, secular, unholy, worldly
• (antonym(s) of “perfect, flawless”): damaged, defective, faulty, flawed, imperfect
• (antonym(s) of “set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose”): common

Derived terms

Related terms

• hallow
• hallowed

Translations

Interjection

holy

1. (slang) An expression of astonishment and awe.

   Synonym: holy shit

Usage notes

• (MTE) When spoken aloud, the first syllable is elongated ("Hoooly!") and stress is placed on the second syllable.

Noun

holy (plural holies)

1. (archaic) A thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in Holy of Holies.

Derived terms

• holiest of holies
• Holy of Holies

Translations

Anagrams

• hylo-

Middle English

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old English hāliġ, from Proto-West Germanic *hailag, from Proto-Germanic *hailagaz; equivalent to hool +‎ -y.

Alternative forms

• hooly, holi, hooli, holye, holie, holly, hoolly, holli, hoolli, oly, oli, wholy, woly, hole, hali, haly, hayly, aly, ali, hale, hely, heli, holiȝ, holiȝe, holia, halge, halege, halȝe, hallȝhe, haliȝ, haliȝe, halie

Adjective

holy (plural and weak singular holye, comparative holyere, superlative holyest)

1. Dedicated to or separated for a religious purpose; sacred, consecrated.
2. Characterized by virtue or perfection.

Related terms

Descendants

• English: holy
• Scots: haly, halie
• Yola: holly, holy

Noun

holy (plural holies)

1. The state of being holy; holiness.
2. One who is sanctified or made holy; a saint, hallow
3. A sacred place; a sanctuary

Derived terms

• alle goddis holy
• holy of holies

Descendants

• English: holy

References

• “holi, adj.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 August 2018.
• “holi, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 August 2018.

Etymology 2

From hol +‎ -y.

Alternative forms

• holi, holly, holli

Adjective

holy

1. Full of holes or cavities; porous, spongy; hollow.

Derived terms

• holinesse

Descendants

• English: holey

References

• “holi, adj.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 August 2018.

Yola

Adjective

holy

1. Alternative form of holly

References

• Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828) William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 96