Meanings
comparative more holily · superlative most holily
- In a holy way; with sanctity.
The other [problem] is that, like Macbeth, what the president wants highly he also wants holily.
2010 October 14, “An own goal on gay rights”, in The Economist2 more examples
And there are ſome diſpoſitions blame-vvorthy in men, vvhich are yet, in a right ſenſe, holily aſcribed unto God; as unchangeableneſs, and irrepentance: […]
1648, J[oseph] Hall, chapter XLVI, in Select Thoughts: Or, Choice Helps for a Pious Spirit. […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Brooke, […], published 1654, →OCLC, page 140[…] enjoyning them upon the severest Penalties to live godlily, holily and righteously in this present World […]
1688, Henry Wharton, Sermon III preach'd at Lambeth Chapel
Origin
- Old Englishhāliġlīċe
- Middle Englishholily
- Englishholily
From Middle English holily, holyly, holilie, holiliche, holyliche, haliliche, haliʒlike, haliliʒ, from Old English hāliġlīċe, equivalent to holy + -ly.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
holily. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/holily
“holily.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/holily. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “holily,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/holily.
Source: holily on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.