holy

英['həʊlɪ] 美['holi]

反义词unholy

比较级: holier;最高级: holiest;

holy a. 神圣的〔神圣的厚礼(谐音)〕

holy 神圣的

来自古英语halig,神圣的，来自Proto-Germanic*hailaga,来自PIE*kailo,完整的，未受伤的，词源同whole,hail,health.其词义演变可能是完整的，完美的，完人，圣人，神圣的。

holy: holy: [OE] Holy originated as a derivative of the prehistoric Germanic adjective which produced modern English whole, and so its etymological meaning is perhaps ‘unimpaired, inviolate’. This ancestral form was *khailagaz, which diversified into German and Dutch heilig, Swedish helig, and Danish hellig as well as English holy. Hallow is essentially the same word, and compounds with holy as a now hidden component include hollyhock [13] as well as holiday.
=> hallow, holiday
holy (adj.): Old English halig "holy, consecrated, sacred, godly," from Proto-Germanic *hailaga- (cognates: Old Norse heilagr, Old Frisian helich "holy," Old Saxon helag, Middle Dutch helich, Old High German heilag, German heilig, Gothic hailags "holy"). Adopted at conversion for Latin sanctus.

Primary (pre-Christian) meaning is not possible to determine, but probably it was "that must be preserved whole or intact, that cannot be transgressed or violated," and connected with Old English hal (see health) and Old High German heil "health, happiness, good luck" (source of the German salutation Heil). Holy water was in Old English. Holy has been used as an intensifying word from 1837; used in expletives since 1880s (such as holy smoke, 1883, holy mackerel, 1876, holy cow, 1914, holy moly etc.), most of them euphemisms for holy Christ or holy Moses.

1. The discovery is being hailed as The Holy Grail of astronomy.: 这一发现圆了天文学界的一个梦想。

2. Every year they put a play on at Saint Holy Cross Church.: 他们每年在圣十字教堂上演一出剧目。

3. At the festival, candles are blessed and sprinkled with holy water.: 在节日里，要对蜡烛祝圣，并洒以圣水。