Holy in different languages

Holy in Different Languages

Discover 'Holy' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'holy' carries profound significance across cultures and languages, denoting something sacred, pure, or inviolable. Its cultural importance is evident in various religious texts, artifacts, and practices where it often represents the ultimate divine power or revered spiritual figures. Understanding the translation of 'holy' in different languages can open up a world of cultural discovery and appreciation.

For instance, in Spanish, 'holy' translates to 'santo/a', while in French, it becomes 'saint'. In German, 'holy' is 'heilig', and in Japanese, it is 'śūkyō' (shūkyō), reflecting the country's unique religious context. These translations not only bridge linguistic gaps but also offer insights into the values and beliefs of different communities.

Delving into the word 'holy' across languages can be an exciting journey, shedding light on the shared human quest for the divine and the extraordinary. Discover more translations of 'holy' below and enrich your cultural vocabulary!

Holy


Holy in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansheilig
The word 'heilig' in Afrikaans is derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'hailagaz', meaning 'healthy' or 'whole'.
Amharicቅዱስ
In Amharic, "ቅዱስ" can also mean "angel" or "saint".
Hausamai tsarki
The word "mai tsarki" originates from the Arabic "maytruki" meaning "that which is forbidden" or "sacred."
Igbodị nsọ
The word "dị nsọ" can also mean "separated" or "set apart".
Malagasymasina
The Malagasy word MASINA can also refer to a sacred talisman or the soul of a deceased ancestor.
Nyanja (Chichewa)woyera
"Woyera" is also the name of a type of traditional Nyanja song praising God or the chief.
Shonamutsvene
The word "mutsvene" in Shona derives from the root "-tsven-," meaning "clean" or "pure."
Somaliquduus ah
In Somali, the word 'quduus' also means 'something that is well-liked and precious'.
Sesothohalalela
The word "halalela" also means "to praise" and is related to the word "halelujah" in English.
Swahilitakatifu
The word 'takatifu' in Swahili also means 'pure' or 'sacred'.
Xhosangcwele
"Ngqele" is also a type of traditional Xhosa beer that is brewed and drunk during rituals.
Yorubamimọ
The Yoruba word "mímọ" can also refer to forbidden things or those set apart for the gods.
Zulungcwele
The Zulu term 'ngcwele', meaning 'holy' or 'sacred', is derived from the verb '-ngcwela', which means 'to fear' or 'to revere'.
Bambarasenuma
Ewekɔkɔe
Kinyarwandacyera
Lingalamosantu
Lugandaomutukuvu
Sepedie kgethwa
Twi (Akan)kronkron

Holy in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicمقدس
The Arabic word "مقدس" (muqaddas) is etymologically related to the word "قدس" (qudus), meaning "sanctuary" or "holy place", and can refer to a variety of sacred or consecrated objects, places, or persons.
Hebrewקָדוֹשׁ
The Hebrew word 'קָדוֹשׁ' ('holy') can also refer to 'separate,' 'dedicated,' or 'set apart.'
Pashtoسپي
سپي also means "white" in Pashto.
Arabicمقدس
The Arabic word "مقدس" (muqaddas) is etymologically related to the word "قدس" (qudus), meaning "sanctuary" or "holy place", and can refer to a variety of sacred or consecrated objects, places, or persons.

Holy in Western European Languages

Albaniani shenjte
'E shenjte' comes from the Proto-Albanian word '*san-kt' which also meant 'saint'.
Basquesantua
In Basque, the word "santua" originally referred to "those who know," and has evolved to mean "holy" in a religious context.
Catalansant
Sant derives from the Latin word “sanctus” that means "consecrated" and can also reference someone recognized for exceptional virtues and heroic sanctity in the Catholic Church.
Croatiansveti
The word 'sveti' can also refer to 'light' or 'world'.
Danishhellig
The word "hellig" is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "hailag,
Dutchheilig
Dutch "heilig" derives from a Proto-West-Germanic root also found in "hagel" and "hele".
Englishholy
The word "holy" comes from the Old English word "halig," which means "whole" or "unbroken."
Frenchsaint
The French word "saint" derives from the Latin "sanctus", meaning "consecrated, holy", and has a similar meaning in both languages.
Frisianhillich
Hillich can also mean 'healthy,' 'happy,' or 'whole,' deriving from the Old Frisian word 'heil,' meaning 'health.'
Galiciansanto
In Galician, «santo» can also mean «a male saint» or, in a metaphorical way, «a person who excels in some positive quality».
Germanheilig
The German word "heilig" comes from the Old High German word "heilag," meaning "healthy" or "whole," and is related to the English word "hale.
Icelandicheilagur
The word "heilagur" is a compound word, consisting of "heil" (whole or well) and "agur" (awful or dreadful), thus it can also refer to awesome and formidable things, like mountains.
Irishnaofa
The word "naofa" in Irish can also refer to saints or holy people.
Italiansanto
In Italian, "santo" can also refer to a "saint" or a "person of great piety"
Luxembourgishhelleg
In older Luxembourgish, 'helleg' was also used to describe something impressive.
Malteseqaddis
The word "qaddis" in Maltese comes from the Arabic word "qadīs", which means "judge" or "legal expert".
Norwegianhellig
Its use in a non-religious sense is as an old swear word, related to 'hell', 'holy' and 'holy smoke' in English, and still a common expletive in Norwegian, in the form of 'hellig(e)'.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)piedosos
The word **piedosos** originates from the Latin word *pietas* that means "dutifulness, sense of duty" (towards gods, parents, country).
Scots Gaelicnaomh
In Gaelic, naomh can refer to "saint," "sanctity," or anything sacred.
Spanishsanto
The Spanish word "santo" derives from the Latin "sanctus," which means "separated, consecrated, or set apart."
Swedishhelig
Helig is related to the Old Norse word heilagr, which means
Welshsanctaidd
"Sanctaidd" is derived from the Latin "sanctitās," meaning "holiness, sacredness, or devotion."

Holy in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianсвяты
Святы in Belarusian is used primarily in religious contexts but can also mean 'clean', 'pure', or 'sacred'.
Bosniansveto
The word "sveto" in Bosnian comes from the Proto-Slavic word "svętъ", which also means "light" or "bright".
Bulgarianсвети
The word "свети" in Bulgarian derives from the same Proto-Slavic root as the English word "soothsayer".
Czechsvatý
The term "svatý" is an Old Slavonic word meaning "belonging to the divine."
Estonianpüha
In some contexts within the Estonian pagan religion, "püha" means spirits instead
Finnishpyhä
Pyhä also means "clean" and "pure" in Finnish.
Hungarianszent
"Szent" is a loanword from Proto-Slavic, likely coming from the word *święty, originally denoting purity and cleanliness.
Latviansvēts
"Svēts" is cognate with other Baltic words for "holy" like Lithuanian "šventas" and Old Prussian "swints", all descending from Proto-Baltic *swentas.
Lithuanianšventas
The word "šventas" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*swen-," which means "to shine" or "to be bright."
Macedonianсвето
The word "свето" in Macedonian also means "bright" or "light".
Polishświęty
The word "święty" in Polish can also refer to a saint or a holiday.
Romaniansfânt
"Sfânt" originates from PIE "*sew-" ("to sacrifice") via Latin "sanctus" ("consecrated"), with the same etymological root as "sacrifice", "sacred", and "sanctuary."
Russianсвятой
In Russian, 'святой' can also mean 'saint' or 'sacred'.
Serbianсвети
The word "Свети", in addition to its primary meaning of "holy", also has several other meanings, including "bright", "shining", and "illustrious".
Slovaksvätý
In the Slovak language, the word "svätý" (holy) is also used to describe something that is particularly beautiful or pleasing.
Sloveniansveti
The Slovenian word "sveti" has Indo-European roots and is cognate with the Old Church Slavonic "svętъ".
Ukrainianсвятий
The word "святий" in Ukrainian comes from the Proto-Slavic word *svętъ, which also means "bright" or "pure".

Holy in South Asian Languages

Bengaliপবিত্র
The word 'পবিত্র' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'pavitra', meaning 'pure' or 'purified'.
Gujaratiપવિત્ર
The Gujarati word 'પવિત્ર' (pavitra) is ultimately derived from the Latin word 'putere,' meaning 'to remove foul odor;' the related Sanskrit word meant 'to clarify butter' and later gained the meaning 'sanctify'
Hindiपवित्र
The word "पवित्र" traces its roots to the Sanskrit word "पाव", meaning "to purify" or "to cleanse".
Kannadaಪವಿತ್ರ
"ಪವಿತ್ರ" comes from the Sanskrit word "pavitra," which originally meant "cleansed" or "purified."
Malayalamവിശുദ്ധം
"വിശുദ്ധം" is derived from Sanskrit "विशुद्धि" meaning "freedom from impurities" and is also used to refer to saints or sacred objects.
Marathiपवित्र
The word "पवित्र" in Marathi can also mean "pure", "sacred", or "clean", and is derived from the Sanskrit word "pu", meaning "to purify".
Nepaliपवित्र
"पवित्र" is derived from the Sanskrit root "पव्" (to purify) and carries connotations of purity, cleanliness, and sacredness.
Punjabiਪਵਿੱਤਰ
Sinhala (Sinhalese)ශුද්ධ
"ශුද්ධ" is also used to mean 'pure', 'clean', or 'correct' as in 'correct grammar'
Tamilபரிசுத்த
Teluguపవిత్ర
The word "పవిత్ర" (pavitra) in Telugu originates from the Sanskrit word "pavitra," meaning "purified" or "cleansed."
Urduمقدس
The Urdu word "مقدس" (Holy) is originally derived from the Proto-Indo-European root word meaning "to protect" that is also shared with the Latin "Sanctus" that is also the root of other words like "Saint."

Holy in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)
圣 "holy, sage, wise" was borrowed to Japanese and Korean, where its reading became せい/Sei and 성/Seong, respectively.
Chinese (Traditional)
聖 in Chinese can also mean a sage, a wise person.
Japanese聖なる
聖なる ('holy') can refer to a person who is highly revered or a place that is considered sacred.
Korean거룩한
"거룩한" is derived from Middle Korean "거룩하-/-하며" and ultimately from Old Korean "거르-/-미" meaning "to purify or abstain from."
Mongolianариун
In Khalkha Mongolian, the word 'ariun' ('sacred') is cognate with the Buryat word 'arihun' ('spirit') and also denotes a Buddhist divinity.
Myanmar (Burmese)သန့်ရှင်း
The word "သန့်ရှင်း" in Burmese, like its English equivalent "holy," can also refer to something "pure" or "spotless," as in the context of an action or a person's character.

Holy in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiansuci
"Suci" also means "pure" or "clean"in Indonesian, and is a cognate of the Malay word "suci" and the Javanese word "resik"
Javanesesuci
"Suci" in Javanese can also mean "clean" or "pure", suggesting a broader concept of holiness that encompasses both spiritual and physical aspects.
Khmerបរិសុទ្ធ
The word “បរិសុទ្ធ” in Khmer is cognate with the word “บริสุทธิ์” in Thai.
Laoບໍລິສຸດ
Malaysuci
The word "suci" can also mean "clean", "pure", or "sacred" in Malay.
Thaiศักดิ์สิทธิ์
The word 'ศักดิ์สิทธิ์' is derived from Sanskrit and originally meant 'empowered' or 'authorized'.
Vietnamesethánh thiện
The word "thánh thiện" in Vietnamese literally means "to be clean from all dirt" and is etymologically related to the words "sạch" (clean), and "thơm" (fragrant).
Filipino (Tagalog)banal

Holy in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanimüqəddəs
The word "müqəddəs" comes from the Arabic word "muqaddas," meaning "sanctified, consecrated, or devoted to religious use."
Kazakhқасиетті
The word "қасиетті" in Kazakh comes from the Arabic word "qaddus", which means "sanctified". It can also refer to something that is pure, sacred, or divine.
Kyrgyzыйык
The word "ыйык" (holy) derives from the Persian word "āyā", meaning "sign, wonder".
Tajikмуқаддас
In Arabic (sacred) as well as in other Iranian (Pashto, Dari, Persian) languages, it denotes not only the concept of holiness but often means "forbidden"
Turkmenmukaddes
Uzbekmuqaddas
The Uzbek word "muqaddas" is borrowed from the Arabic "muqaddas" meaning "holy" or "sacred" and is often used in reference to religious figures or places.
Uyghurمۇقەددەس

Holy in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianhemolele
In Hawaiian, the word "hemolele" also means "sacred" or "set apart."
Maoritapu
In Maori, 'tapu' can also refer to something forbidden or sacred, and is related to the concept of mana (prestige or influence).
Samoanpaia
Paia can also mean a forbidden action, a taboo, or a sacred object.
Tagalog (Filipino)banal
The Tagalog word "banal" is derived from the Proto-Austronesian word "*banuaŋ", which originally meant "dwelling place of spirits"

Holy in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraqullanawa
Guaraniimarangatu

Holy in International Languages

Esperantosankta
The word "sankta" comes from the Latin word "sanctus," meaning "sacred" or "holy."
Latinsanctus
The root 'sanc-' in 'sanctus' is also present in 'sancire', meaning 'to make sacred'.

Holy in Others Languages

Greekάγιος
The word "άγιος" is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂ég-ios, meaning "belonging to the god" or "sacred."
Hmongdawb huv
The word "dawb huv" can also mean "clean" or "pure".
Kurdishrûhane
The word "rûhane" in Kurdish could also mean "spiritual" or "sacred" and is related to the Arabic word "ruh" (meaning "soul").
Turkishkutsal
"Kutsal" also means "forbidden" in the Ottoman Turkish vocabulary and in archaic Turkish.
Xhosangcwele
"Ngqele" is also a type of traditional Xhosa beer that is brewed and drunk during rituals.
Yiddishהייליק
The word "הייליק" also means "complete" or "perfect" in Yiddish, highlighting the connection between holiness and wholeness.
Zulungcwele
The Zulu term 'ngcwele', meaning 'holy' or 'sacred', is derived from the verb '-ngcwela', which means 'to fear' or 'to revere'.
Assameseপবিত্ৰ
Aymaraqullanawa
Bhojpuriपवित्र बा
Dhivehiމާތްވެގެންވެއެވެ
Dogriपवित्र
Filipino (Tagalog)banal
Guaraniimarangatu
Ilocanonasantoan
Kriooli
Kurdish (Sorani)پیرۆز
Maithiliपवित्र
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯁꯦꯡꯂꯕꯥ꯫
Mizothianghlim
Oromoqulqulluu
Odia (Oriya)ପବିତ୍ର
Quechuach'uya
Sanskritपवित्रम्
Tatarизге
Tigrinyaቅዱስ
Tsongaku kwetsima

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