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Holy vs Holly - What's the difference?

holy | holly |

As nouns the difference between holy and holly

is that holy is a thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in {{term|Holy of Holies}} while holly is any of various shrubs or (mostly) small trees, of the genus Ilex, either evergreen or deciduous, used as decoration especially at Christmas.

As an adjective holy

is dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.

As a proper noun Holly is

{{given name|female|from=English}}.

holy

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Dedicated to a religious purpose or a god.
    • I'm planning to visit the holy city of Mecca this Ramadan.
  • 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.
    • 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, special

    Antonyms

    * (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) common

    Derived 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 Week

    Noun

    (holies)
  • (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:
    • 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

    holly

    English

    Noun

    (hollies)
  • Any of various shrubs or (mostly) small trees, of the genus Ilex , either evergreen or deciduous, used as decoration especially at Christmas.
  • The wood from this tree.
  • (with a qualifier) Any of several unrelated plant species likened to Ilex because of their prickly, evergreen foliage and/or round, bright-red berries

    • Derived terms

    * false holly * * holly olive * holly osmanthus * * Hollywood * sea holly