B1adjective · frequent

holy

holy · holier · holiest

святий, священний

святой, священный

heilig

Dedicated to a religious purpose or a godDedicated to a religious purpose or a god.

ⓘ

UK/ˈhəʊli/US/ˈhoʊli/

» I don't like his holier-than-thou attitude.

Meaning

6 senses

Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.
I'm planning to visit the holy city of Jerusalem this Christmas.
heilig
свято́йsvjatój, свяще́нныйsvjaščénnyj
святи́йsvjatýj, свяще́ннийsvjaščénnyj
Revered in a religion.
This tree is considered holy in my culture.
heilig
свято́йsvjatój, свяще́нныйsvjaščénnyj
святи́йsvjatýj, свяще́ннийsvjaščénnyj
Morally perfect or flawless, or nearly so.
My grandmother is a very holy woman.
свято́йsvjatój
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.
(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!
свято́йsvjatój, бо́жийbóžij

More definitions

belonging to or derived from or associated with a divine power

Examples

187 sentences

I don't like his holier-than-thou attitude.
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · CK · B1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
Nothing is holy.
Немає нічого святого. — deniko
ruНичто не свято. — corvard
deNichts ist heilig. — Esperantostern
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · Zifre · B1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
What he says is holy truth.
ruТо, что он говорит, святая правда. — marafon
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · gleki · B1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
She is a kind and holy woman.
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · B1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
Today is a holy day for us.
CC BY 2.0 FR · Tatoeba · adamtrousers · B1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem

Translations

9 languages

Українська

By meaning 1

dedicated to a religious purpose:

Русский

By meaning 2

dedicated to a religious purpose:

slang intensifier:

Deutsch

By meaning 1

dedicated to a religious purpose:

Origin

From Middle English ali, aly, hale, halege, hali, halȝe, hayly, holi, holia, holie, holiȝ,

From Middle English ali, aly, hale, halege, hali, halȝe, hayly, holi, holia, holie, holiȝ, holy, hooly, oli, oly, wholy, woly, from Old English hāleġ, hāliġ (“holy, sacred; healthy, sound”), from Proto-West Germanic *hailag, from Proto-Germanic *hailagaz (“holy, sacred”), from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“healthy; whole”), from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilos (“intact, whole; complete; hale, healthy, sound”), equivalent to whole + -y and a doublet of later wholly.

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