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Where does the word "holy" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic hailagaz, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).
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Where does the word "holy" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic hailagaz, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).
Holy’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: hailagaz meant “sacred.” From 'hailaz', whole, healthy: what must be kept whole. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as hālig. 'hallow', 'Halloween' and 'holiday', holy day, come from it. It reached English by 1500s as holy. 'holy' and 'whole' are the same word at root. Today, holy means dedicated to God; sacred.
- Stage 1 · Proto-Germanic · ancient hailagaz "sacred", from 'hailaz', whole, healthy: what must be kept whole.
- Stage 2 · Old English · 700s-1000s hālig "sacred", 'hallow', 'Halloween' and 'holiday', holy day, come from it.
- Stage 3 · English · 1500s holy "sacred", 'holy' and 'whole' are the same word at root.