holy

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

Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.

This tree is considered holy in my culture.

My grandmother is a very holy woman.

Morally perfect or flawless, or nearly so.

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

Set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose, or for use by a single entity or person.

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

Those children next door are holy terrors!

(slang) Used as an intensifier in various interjections.

en-adj

holy (comparative holier, superlative holiest)

holier (comparative)
holiest (superlative)

sacred

dedicated to a religious purpose or a god

reserved

set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose

Holy

when referring to someone or something important

holey (in accents without the wholly-holy split)

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.


holy

(slang) An expression of astonishment and awe.


holy

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.

1882, Franz von Reber, Joseph Thacher Clarke, History of Ancient Art, page 146:

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


holy

Dedicated to or separated for a religious purpose; sacred, consecrated.

[…]of moost holi lyuynge, and best taught and moost wyse of heuenly wysdom[…]

1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, page 37:

[…] of the most holy living, and the best-taught and wisest heavenly wisdom […]

head

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

holye (plural)
holye (singular weak)
holyere (comparative)
holyest (superlative)

English: holy

Scots: haly, halie

Yola: holly, holy

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


holy

One who is sanctified or made holy; a saint, hallow

English: holy


holy

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

English: holey


holy

To our pleoughès an mulk-pylès till a neeshte holy die.

1867, “THE WEDDEEN O BALLYMORE”, in SONGS, ETC. IN THE DIALECT OF FORTH AND BARGY, number 6, page 96:

To our ploughs and our milk-pails till the next holiday.