holiest

"Holiest" is the superlative form of the adjective "holy" — it means the most holy. It has a couple of closely related senses, all revolving around the idea of deep religious sacredness or moral purity.

1adjectivemost sacred or divine

When something is considered deeply connected to God or a higher power — a place, an object, a day — it is called 'holy'. 'Holiest' simply means the one that is MORE sacred than all others. Think of it as the top of a scale of religious importance.

religion and spirituality · Modern, widely used

Jerusalem is considered one of the holiest cities in the world for three major religions.

The holiest day in the Jewish calendar is Yom Kippur.

Pilgrims travel thousands of miles to visit the holiest shrine in the region.

2adjectivefigurativemost morally pure or virtuous

Outside of formal religion, 'holiest' can describe a person who lives in the most morally pure, righteous, or spiritually devoted way — someone who is seen as almost saintlike in their goodness.

everyday language, religion · Modern, also common in older texts · figurative

Even the holiest person in the village admitted they were not perfect.

She was regarded as the holiest member of the community, always putting others before herself.