holey

English

Etymology

From Middle English holy, holi, holly, holli (“holey, spongy, hollow”); equivalent to hole +‎ -y. The e was inserted in Modern English to distinguish the word from holy (“hallowed, sacred”).

Pronunciation
  • (UK, wholly-holy split) IPA(key): /ˈhəʊl.li/, [ˈhɒʊli], [ˈhɒʊɫ.li]
  • (UK, without wholly-holy split) IPA(key): /ˈhəʊli/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈhoʊli/
  • Rhymes: -əʊli
  • Homophones: wholly, holy (in accents without the wholly-holy split)

Adjective

holey (comparative holier, superlative holiest)

  1. Having, or being full of, holes.
    Fred loved holey Dutch cheese.

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