holy
adj.-
1 religious (adj.) B1 Intermediate Religionconnected to a god or a religion and deserving great respect.
dedicated to a religious purpose or deity; regarded with deep veneration within a faith tradition.
ExampleThe Ganges is considered a holy river by millions of people.
ExampleThe pilgrims traveled for weeks to reach the holy site, hoping to find spiritual peace within its ancient walls.
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2 morally perfect (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediate Religionliving a life that is morally perfect and without sin.
characterized by moral perfection or spiritual purity.
ExampleShe was remembered as a holy woman who spent her life helping the poor.
ExampleThe biography depicts the monk not just as a scholar, but as a truly holy man whose kindness influenced the entire community.
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.