holy water

noun

: water blessed by a priest and used as a purifying sacramental

Examples of holy water in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Laid on top of the eerie beats that have become the norm in his hometown, his raps cast a spell that can only be broken with a splash of holy water. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 2 Jan. 2024 Each volador takes a turn walking around the tree with the incense and flowers, and sprinkling it with holy water and aguardiente. Leila Miller, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2023 The Herrmann’s bottle of holy water tipped over for no apparent reason. Sophie Hanson, Harper's BAZAAR, 4 Aug. 2022 The healing quality of holy water is the formal source of this work. Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2023 But despite a suitcase filled with all the usual tools to dispatch vampires — holy water, a crucifix, a wooden stake and silver hammer — things don’t go as planned. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Aug. 2023 They would also likely have been used as containers, holding wine, honey, beer, medicines, scented oils, holy water, mercury, or perfumes. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 May 2022 People deposited coins in a slot that pressed on a metal valve, and released holy water. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2022 Another woman, whom Nadeau calls Sophia, grew up in Castellammare di Stabia, which has a long history with the Camorra and which the church considered so morally decayed that in 2015 a local priest sprinkled holy water from a helicopter above the town to exorcise the evil within. Ilana Masad, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'holy water.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of holy water was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near holy water

Cite this Entry

“Holy water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy%20water. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

holy water

noun
: water blessed by a priest and used to purify

More from Merriam-Webster on holy water

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