holy — dedicated to God or a religious purpose; sacred
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: dedicated to God or a religious purpose; sacred
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈhoʊli/
Example Sentences
- Holy moly! My math teacher just said the test is canceled!
- The pilgrims traveled to the holy city for spiritual guidance.
- My grandmother thinks her secret kimchi recipe is holy and shouldn't be shared.
holy
ADJECTIVE[/ˈhoʊli/]
dedicated to God or a religious purpose; sacred

A holy figure prays in reverence at an illuminated ancient temple

The holy is wholly achieved slowly from the lowly — when sacred light embraces all with patient grace
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old English 'hālig', derived from the Proto-Germanic root 'hailaz' meaning 'whole' or 'uninjured'. The word evolved to mean 'sacred' or 'spiritually whole' in religious contexts.
Breakdown
hāl (whole, uninjured) + -ig (adjective suffix) = holy (spiritually whole or sacred)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Holy moly! My math teacher just said the test is canceled!”
“The pilgrims traveled to the holy city for spiritual guidance.”
“My grandmother thinks her secret kimchi recipe is holy and shouldn't be shared.”
“The monks dedicated their lives to holy service.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.