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Holy vs Eternal - What's the difference?

holy | eternal |

In lang=en terms the difference between holy and eternal

is that holy is used as an intensifier in various interjections while eternal is exceedingly great or bad; used as an intensifier.

As adjectives the difference between holy and eternal

is that holy is dedicated to a religious purpose or a god while eternal is lasting forever; unending.

As a noun holy

is a thing that is extremely holy; used almost exclusively in {{term|Holy of Holies}}.

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

    eternal

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (chiefly archaic) * (obsolete) * eternall (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Lasting forever; unending.
  • * John Locke
    • to know whether there were any real being, whose duration has been eternal
  • * Dryden
    • Fires eternal in thy temple shine.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=May 27 , author=Nathan Rabin , title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992) , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=In a bid to understand the eternal mystery that is woman, Bart goes to the least qualified possible source for advice and counsel: his father, who remarkably seems to have made it to his mid-30s without quite figuring out much of anything. }}
  • (philosophy) existing outside time; as opposed to sempiternal, existing within time but everlastingly
  • (dated) Exceedingly great or bad; used as an intensifier.
    • some eternal villain

    Synonyms

    * permanent, sempiternal, endless, everlasting * (existing outside time) timeless, atemporal

    Antonyms

    * ephemeral * sempiternal

    Derived terms

    * eternal life * eternal recurrence * eternal return * eternal triangle * hope springs eternal

    Anagrams

    * English words suffixed with -al ----