# grail

/ˈɡɹeɪɫ/ (US) · /ɡɹˈeɪl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grail
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 2. the Holy Grail

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

in old stories, the cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper, which knights searched for.

For teachers: the cup or platter used by Jesus at the Last Supper, which became the object of a quest by knights in Arthurian legend.

- The knights spent years traveling across the world to find the Holy Grail.
- Medieval literature is rich with tales of chivalric knights who risked their lives in pursuit of the Holy Grail.

## Examples

- Finding a cure for the common cold is the medical grail.
- For many vintage car collectors, finding an original 1960s model in perfect condition is the ultimate grail.
- Physicists have long pursued a unified theory of everything, viewing it as the holy grail of modern science that would reconcile gravity with quantum mechanics.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.