- [usually before noun] connected with God or a particular religion
- the Holy Bible
- holy books/scriptures
- the holy city of Mecca
- Islam’s holiest shrine
- a holy day/month
- a holy war (= one fought to defend the beliefs of a particular religion)
- holy ground
Extra ExamplesTopics Religion and festivalsb2- For a believer, these words have an almost holy significance.
- The sacred desert site is the object of holy pilgrimage.
- The place is considered holy by the people who live there.
- He sprinkled her with holy water.
- He searched holy books, read the poets and studied human behaviour.
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- good in a moral and religious way
- a holy life/man
Extra ExamplesTopics Personal qualitiesb2, Religion and festivalsb2- He tries to live a holy life.
- They are good and holy people.
- [only before noun] (informal) used to emphasize that you are surprised, afraid, etc.
- Holy cow! What was that?
see also holier-than-thou, holiness
Word OriginOld English hālig, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German heilig, also to whole.
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