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Glite Dictionary
holy day

holy day

11 3.4
A day when many people do not work to celebrate or show respect for a religion
  • noun
  • /ˈhoʊli deɪ/
translation icon : día santo
  • It's a holy day, a festive day.
  • Jewish holy days
  • Christian holy days
  • church holy days

And we're creating all of these holy days around consumerism.

Examples

  • Clergy and laypeople enriched holy days with various social and cultural elaborations.

    Academic text (2007)

  • In Ireland, the day had been marked as a holy day, not celebrated as a holiday.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Today is the most holy day.

    Radio Days (1987)

  • - Praise the Lord and his holy days!

    There Will Be Blood (2007)

  • Does God allow you to heal on the holy day?

    Judas (2004)

  • Time was marked by the seasons, the sacraments, and the holy days.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Bridgetown residents were treated to the sound of St. Michael's ring of eight bells every holy day.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Quakers and Reformed Christians, including Congregationalists, Presbyterians, and Baptists, disapproved of many Anglican holy days.

    Academic text (2007)

  • The decree by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, 84, came ahead of Judaism's holiest day, Yom Kippur, which begins Tuesday.

    Blog text (3)

  • Today is a holy day celebrated by many around the world.

Synonyms

holiday
vsholy day
458 1.0

A day when most people do not have to work because of a law or custom

is specifically religious, not merely a public nonworking day
day of rest
vsholy day
8 2.3

A day when people do not work and relax, often for religious reasons

is about religious observance or celebration rather than rest alone
feast day
vsholy day
6 3.7

A day for special celebration and big meals, often for religious or cultural reasons

emphasizes religious observance rather than feasting
religious holiday
vsholy day
4 2.2

A day when people of a faith have ceremonies and celebrate

is the general term for the same religious observance
religious festival
vsholy day
1 2.0

A public event where people celebrate their faith

applies to religious observance days beyond communal festivals
rogatory
vsholy day
  • Archaic
9.9

A day when people pray together for help or blessing in church

is broader, covering any religious observance or celebration

How Sacred

holy day
11 3.4
feast day
6 3.7

Surface Forms

holy day singular
holy days plural

Morphology

holy + day

The meaning 'a day set aside for religious observance' is directly and compositionally derived from 'holy' (sacred) + 'day' (a calendar day). This adjective+noun combination follows a standard, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Holy day comes from the simple idea of making one day 'holy' or special for religion. People would set that day apart for prayer, rest, or celebration, so holy day means 'a day set aside for religious observance or celebration'.