holy of holies

noun phrase

: the innermost and most sacred chamber of the Jewish tabernacle and temple

Examples of holy of holies in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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The library now keeps its Russian Golden Era books in its holy of holies, along with its rarest books, including a Gutenberg Bible. —

Rachel Donadio, New York Times, 1 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

translation of Late Latin sanctum sanctorum, translation of Hebrew qōdhesh haq-qŏdhāshīm

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of holy of holies was in 1641

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Holy of holies.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy%20of%20holies. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.

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