holy of holies

noun
UK: /ˌhəʊli əv ˈhəʊliz/
US: /ˌhoʊli əv ˈhoʊliz/

  1. The innermost and most sacred part of a religious building, especially in Judaism the sanctuary of the Tabernacle or Temple in Jerusalem.

    1. Only the high priest could enter the holy of holies.
    2. The old church had a holy of holies where they kept their most important relics.

  2. A place or situation regarded as most special or private.

    1. Her study was her holy of holies, where she could write undisturbed.
    2. For him, the garage was his holy of holies, a place for projects and reflection away from everyone.

  3. The most secret or revered area within an organization or system.

    1. The research lab was the holy of holies for the company's scientists.
    2. Gaining access to the holy of holies of their database required special clearance.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "holy of holies" in English means: The innermost and most sacred part of a religious building, especially in Judaism the sanctuary of the Tabernacle or Temple in Jerusalem., A place or situation regarded as most special or private., The most secret or revered area within an organization or system..

The phonetic transcription of "holy of holies" is /ˌhəʊli əv ˈhəʊliz/ in British English and /ˌhoʊli əv ˈhoʊliz/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Example usage of "holy of holies": "Only the high priest could enter the holy of holies.". More examples on the page.