holy spirit: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Religious
Quick answer
What does “holy spirit” mean?
In Christian theology, the third person of the Trinity.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
In Christian theology, the third person of the Trinity; God as an active, present spiritual force in the world and in believers.
A term used more broadly to refer to the divine, spiritual presence or influence of God, sometimes in non-Christian contexts or metaphorical usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. The term is identical in both varieties within religious discourse.
Connotations
Identical theological connotations. In secular contexts, both varieties may use it metaphorically with similar force.
Frequency
Frequency is tied to religious context and demography rather than regional variety. Equally common in religious texts and speech in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “holy spirit” in a Sentence
The Holy Spirit + verb (descends, leads, fills)Verb + the Holy Spirit (receive, grieve, quench)Preposition + the Holy Spirit (in the Holy Spirit, by the Holy Spirit, of the Holy Spirit)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “holy spirit” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The ceremony aims to holy-spirit the congregation. (Extremely rare/non-standard)
American English
- The preacher hoped to holy-spirit the revival meeting. (Extremely rare/non-standard)
adverb
British English
- He prayed Holy Spirit-fully. (Non-standard/very rare)
American English
- They worshipped Holy Spirit-empoweredly. (Non-standard/very rare)
adjective
British English
- They attended a Holy Spirit-led service.
American English
- She had a Holy Spirit-inspired vision.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used, except perhaps in the name of a faith-based organization.
Academic
Used in theological, religious studies, and historical contexts. Rare in other disciplines.
Everyday
Used primarily in religious communities during worship, prayer, or discussion. Uncommon in general secular conversation.
Technical
A technical term in systematic theology, pneumatology, and biblical exegesis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “holy spirit”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “holy spirit”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “holy spirit”
- Writing it in lower case ('holy spirit').
- Using it as a countable noun ('a holy spirit').
- Confusing it with 'Holy Ghost' as if they were different (they are synonymous, 'Ghost' is simply archaic).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they refer to the same entity in Christian theology. 'Holy Ghost' is an older English term derived from the Old English 'gast' (spirit), while 'Holy Spirit' is the modern translation.
Yes, when referring to the third person of the Christian Trinity, it is a proper noun and should always be capitalized. In rare, purely metaphorical secular use, it might be lowercased.
Traditionally, no. In Christian theology, the Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity, not an impersonal force. Pronouns used are typically 'He' (capitalized in some traditions) or 'the Spirit' to avoid gendered language, but never 'it'.
While the specific doctrine of the Holy Spirit as part of the Trinity is uniquely Christian, concepts of a divine spirit or breath of God are present in Judaism (Ruach HaKodesh) and Islam (Ruh al-Qudus), though with different theological understandings.
In Christian theology, the third person of the Trinity.
Holy spirit is usually formal, religious in register.
Holy spirit: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhəʊli ˈspɪrɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhoʊli ˈspɪrɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Baptism of the Holy Spirit”
- “Fruit of the Spirit”
- “Grieve the Holy Spirit”
- “Quench the Spirit”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of HOLY (sacred) + SPIRIT (breath, life force). Together, they form the sacred breath or life force of God.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPIRIT IS WIND/AIR (invisible but powerful, can fill a space), SPIRIT IS A GUIDE, SPIRIT IS A COMFORTER, SPIRIT IS A SEAL OF OWNERSHIP.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a traditional synonym for 'Holy Spirit'?