different between holy vs honest

English

Alternative forms

• holie, hooly (archaic)
• Holy (when referring to someone or something important)
• 'oly (pronunciation spelling)

Etymology

From Middle English holi, hali, from Old English h?li?, h?le? (“holy, consecrated, sacred, venerated, godly, saintly, ecclesiastical, pacific, tame”), from Proto-Germanic *hailagaz (“holy, bringing health”), from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“healthy, whole”), from Proto-Indo-European *kóh?ilus (“healthy, whole”), equivalent to whole +? -y. 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.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?h??li/
• (US) enPR: h??l?, IPA^(key): /?ho?li/
• Rhymes: -??li
• Homophones: holey, wholly

Adjective

holy (comparative holier, superlative holiest)

1. Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.

   I'm planning to visit the holy city of Jerusalem this Christmas.

2. Revered in a religion.

   (Can we add an example for this sense?)

3. Morally perfect or flawless, or nearly so.

4. Separated or set apart from (something unto something or someone else).
5. Set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose, or for use by a single entity or person.
6. (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!

Synonyms

• (dedicated to a religious purpose or a god): sacred
• (revered in a religion): sacred
• (perfect, flawless): faultless, flawless, perfect
• (separated or set apart from something): sanctified
• (set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose): reserved, special

Antonyms

• (revered in a religion): profane, secular, unholy, worldly
• (perfect, flawless): damaged, defective, faulty, flawed, imperfect
• (set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose): common

Derived terms

Related terms

• hallow
• hallowed

Translations

Noun

holy (plural holies)

1. (archaic) A thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in Holy of Holies.
   • 1882, Franz von Reber, Joseph Thacher Clarke, History of Ancient Art, p. 146:

     The holy of holies, a cubical space of ten cubits on the side, was separated from the larger antechamber by four columns, which were also covered with gold and stood upon silver sockets; they bore a second curtain of four colors.

Derived terms

• holiest of holies
• Holy of Holies

Translations

Anagrams

• hylo-

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English h?li?, from Proto-Germanic *hailagaz; equivalent to hool +? -y.

Alternative forms

• hooly, holi, hooli, holye, holie, holly, hoolly, holli, hoolli, oly, oli, wholy, woly, hole, hali, haly, hayly, aly, ali, hale, hely, heli, holi?, holi?e, holia, halge, halege, hal?e, hall?he, hali?, hali?e, halie

Adjective

holy (plural and weak singular holye, comparative holyere, superlative holyest)

1. Dedicated to or separated for a religious purpose; sacred, consecrated.
2. Characterized by virtue or perfection.

Related terms

Descendants

• English: holy
• Scots: haly, halie
• Yola: holly

Noun

holy (plural holies)

1. The state of being holy; holiness.
2. One who is sanctified or made holy; a saint, hallow
3. A sacred place; a sanctuary

Derived terms

• alle goddis holy
• holy of holies

Descendants

• holy

References

• “holi, adj.(2).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 August 2018.
• “holi, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 August 2018.

Etymology 2

From hol +? -y

Alternative forms

• holi, holly, holli

Adjective

holy

1. Full of holes or cavities; porous, spongy; hollow.

Derived terms

• holinesse

Descendants

• English: holey

References

• “holi, adj.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 4 August 2018.

English

Etymology

From Middle English honest, honeste, from Old French honeste, from Latin honestus, from honor. For the verb, see Latin honest?re (“to clothe or adorn with honour”), and compare French honester. Displaced Old English ferht (“honest”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??n?st/
  • (RP dated) IPA^(key): /???n?st/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??n?st/

Adjective

honest (comparative honester or more honest, superlative honestest or most honest)

1. (of a person or institution) Scrupulous with regard to telling the truth; not given to swindling, lying, or fraud; upright.
   • c. 1680, William Temple, Of Popular Discontents

     A true and honest physician is excused for leaving his patient, when he finds the disease grown desperate

2. (of a statement) True, especially as far as is known by the person making the statement; fair; unbiased.

3. In good faith; without malice.

4. (of a measurement device) Accurate.

5. Authentic; full.

6. Earned or acquired in a fair manner.

7. Open; frank.

8. (obsolete) Decent; honourable; suitable; becoming.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)
9. (obsolete) Chaste; faithful; virtuous.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:honest

Antonyms

• dishonest

Derived terms

• honesty
• keep someone honest
• make an honest woman

Translations

Verb

honest (third-person singular simple present honests, present participle honesting, simple past and past participle honested)

1. (obsolete) To adorn or grace; to honour; to make becoming, appropriate, or honourable.
   • 1609, Ben Jonson, Epicœne, or The Silent Woman

     You have very much honested my lodging with your presence.

Adverb

honest (comparative more honest, superlative most honest)

1. (colloquial) Honestly; really.

   It wasn’t my fault, honest.

Further reading

• honest in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• honest in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Heston, Stheno, oneths

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin honestus.

Adjective

honest (feminine honesta, masculine plural honests or honestos, feminine plural honestes)

1. upright, decent, honorable

Derived terms

• deshonest
• honestament

Related terms

• honestedat
• honor

Further reading

• “honest” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “honest” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
• “honest” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “honest” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.