holiness

IPA/ˈhəʊ.li.nəs/
KK[hˈolinəs]IPA/ˈhoʊ.li.nəs/

holiness — noun

1. the state of being pure, good, and connected to God or what a religion treats as

1.名詞C1
釋義

the state of being pure, good, and connected to God or what a religion treats as sacred

例句

Pilgrims travel to the temple because of the holiness they feel inside its walls.

the holiness of a sacred place

Darius believed that years of quiet prayer had slowly deepened his holiness.

holiness as a personal spiritual quality

同義詞
  • sanctity

    more formal; often used of places, life, or vows

  • godliness

    stresses living by religious rules and devotion

  • purity

    broader; can be moral or physical, not only religious

反義詞
  • sinfulness

    the state of doing wrong against religious rules

文法句型

the holiness of [something]

用法筆記

Uncountable and abstract; commonly follows 'the' plus 'of' to name the source of the quality, as in 'the holiness of the place'.

常見錯誤

❌She showed many holinesses.
✅She showed great holiness.
💡it is uncountable, so it takes no plural and no 'a'.

2. a respectful title used to speak to or about a senior religious leader such as t

2.名詞C1
釋義

a respectful title used to speak to or about a senior religious leader such as the Pope

例句

The reporter asked His Holiness whether the church would change its teaching on the matter.

His Holiness for a senior religious leader

When the bishop met the Pope, she addressed him as Your Holiness.

Your Holiness used in direct address

同義詞
  • Eminence

    title used for cardinals rather than the Pope

  • Reverence

    older respectful form of address for clergy

文法句型

His/Your Holiness

用法筆記

Almost always capitalized and preceded by 'His', 'Your', or 'Their'; distinguish from sense 1, which names a quality rather than a person.

常見錯誤

❌I met the holiness yesterday.
✅I met His Holiness yesterday.
💡as a title it needs a possessive like His, Your, or Their.