The quality or state of being sacred, pure, or spiritually perfect; moral and spiritual perfection.
From Old English 'hālignes', derived from 'hālig' (holy) plus the suffix '-ness'. The root comes from Proto-Germanic meaning 'whole' or 'complete', suggesting spiritual wholeness.
Across cultures, holiness often involves separation from the ordinary world - holy objects, places, and people are set apart through special rituals or behaviors. Interestingly, the word shares its root with 'whole' and 'heal', suggesting that holiness represents spiritual completeness.
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