Cognate with Scots haly, Western Frisian hillich, Low German hillig, Dutch heilig, German heilig, Danish hellig, Swedish helig. More at whole.

• (RP) IPA: /ˈhəʊli/
• (America) enPR: hōʹlē, IPA: /ˈhoʊli/

holy (comparative holier, superlative holiest)

1. Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.

   I'm planning to visit the holy city of Jerusalem this Christmas.

2. Revered in a religion.

   This tree is considered holy in my culture.

3. Morally perfect or flawless, or nearly so.

   My grandmother is a very holy woman.

4. Separated or set apart from (something unto something or someone else).
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.

   Holy cow, I can’t believe he actually lost the race!

   Those children next door are holy terrors!

• (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

• (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

• hallow
• hallowed

• French: saint, sacré
• German: heilig
• Italian: sacro
• Portuguese: santo, sagrado, sacro
• Russian: свято́й
• Spanish: santo, sagrado

• French: saint, bénit
• German: heilig
• Italian: santo
• Portuguese: sacro, sagrado
• Russian: свято́й
• Spanish: santo

• Italian: immacolato
• Portuguese: imaculado
• Russian: свято́й

• Russian: свято́й

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

   Synonyms: holy shit

holy (plural holies)

1. (archaic) A thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in Holy of Holies.
   • 1882, Franz von Reber, Joseph Thacher Clarke, History of Ancient Art, page 146:

     The holy of holies, a cubical space of ten cubits on the side, was separated from the larger antechamber by four columns, which were also covered with gold and stood upon silver sockets; they bore a second curtain of four colors.

• Russian: святы́ня

1. Alternative case form of holy used when referring to an important figure, such as God, or to an important item or event.