Basic+ Word of the Day: holy

holy (adjective)

Holy means ‘sacred by religious authority.’

• The Qur'an is the holy book of Islam.
• Jerusalem is a holy city.

Holy also means ‘saintly or pious.’

• Mother Teresa was a holy woman.
• The rabbi tried to lead a holy life.

Don't confuse it with

wholly: totally. Example: “Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that is wholly within the United States.”

holly: a tree or shrub with bright leaves and red berries. Example: “The Christmas wreath on the front door was made of holly.”

In pop culture

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a classic in British comedy. If you like this trailer, you should definitely see the whole movie:

There are other meanings of holy.