Holy vs Worthy - What's the difference?
holy | worthy |
Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.
Revered in a religion.
Perfect or flawless.
Separated or set apart from (something unto something or someone else).
Set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose, or for use by a single entity or person.
(slang) Used as an intensifier in various interjections.
(archaic) A thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in (Holy of Holies).
* Franz von Reber, Joseph Thacher Clarke, History of Ancient Art (1882) p. 146:
having worth, merit or value
* Shakespeare
* Sir J. Davies
honourable or admirable
deserving, or having sufficient worth
Suited; befitting.
* Shakespeare
* Bible, Matthew iii. 11
* Milton
* Dryden
a distinguished or eminent person
To render or treat as worthy; exalt; revere; honour; esteem; respect; value; reward; adore.
* 1880 , Sir Norman Lockyer, Nature :
* 1908 , Edward Arthur Brayley Hodgetts, The court of Russia in the nineteenth century :
* 1910 , Charles William Eliot, The Harvard classics: Beowulf :
As adjectives the difference between holy and worthy
is that holy is naked while worthy is having worth, merit or value.As a noun worthy is
a distinguished or eminent person.As a verb worthy is
to render or treat as worthy; exalt; revere; honour; esteem; respect; value; reward; adore.holy
English
Adjective
(er)- I'm planning to visit the holy city of Mecca this Ramadan.
- Holy cow, I can’t believe he actually lost the race!
Synonyms
* (dedicated to a religious purpose or a god) sacred * (revered in a religion) sacred * faultless, flawless, perfect * (separated or set apart from something) sanctified * (set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose) reserved, specialAntonyms
* (dedicated to a religious purpose or a god) * (revered in a religion) profane, secular, unholy, worldly * damaged, defective, faulty, flawed, imperfect * (separated or set apart from something) * (set apart or dedicated for a specific purpose) commonDerived terms
* holiest of holies * holiness * holy cats * holy cow * holy crap * Holy Ghost * Holy Grail * Holy of Holies * holy mackerel * holy moly, holy moley * holy Moses * holy mother of God * Holy See * holy shit * holy smoke * holy snakes * Holy Spirit * holy Toledo * Holy Trinity * holy war * holy water * Holy WeekNoun
(holies)- 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 Holiesworthy
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) worthy, wurthi, from (etyl) *.Adjective
(er)- These banished men that I have kept withal / Are men endued with worthy qualities.
- This worthy' mind should ' worthy things embrace.
- No, Warwick, thou art worthy of the sway.
- whose shoes I am not worthy to bear.
- And thou art worthy that thou shouldst not know / More happiness.
- The lodging is well worthy of the guest.
Derived terms
* worthily * worthinessNoun
(worthies)Etymology 2
From (etyl) worthien, wurthien, from (etyl) .Verb
- And put upon him such a deal of man, That worthied him, got praises of the king [...]'' — Shakespeare, ''King Lear .
- After having duly paid his addresses to it, he generally spends some time on the marble slab in front of the looking-glass, but without showing the slightest emotion at the sight of his own reflection, or worthying it with a song.
- And it is a poor daub besides," the Emperor rejoined scornfully, as he stalked out of the gallery without worthying the artist with a look.
- No henchman he worthied by weapons, if witness his features, his peerless presence!
