Definition

Proper noun 1. A region of great religious significance: The Holy Land refers to a geographic area in the Middle East, primarily located between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. It is considered sacred by the three major Abrahamic religions—Christianity, Islam, and Judaism—due to its deep historical and spiritual connections to their foundational events, prophets, and scriptures.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • Many pilgrims travel to the Holy Land to visit sites like Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
  • The history of the Holy Land is central to understanding the origins of these world religions.
  • Archaeological discoveries in the Holy Land continue to shed light on ancient civilizations.

Advanced Usage

• "the Holy Land": The definite article "the" is almost always used when referring to this region.
  • He felt a deep spiritual calling to visit the Holy Land.

Variants and Related Words

• Holy Land, The (alternative capitalization): An accepted variant, often used in formal or historical texts.
• Palestine (n): A historical and geographical name for a region encompassing much of the Holy Land. (Note: This term has complex modern political connotations.)
• Promised Land (n): A term used primarily in Jewish and Christian traditions to refer to the land promised by God to the Israelites, which overlaps with the Holy Land.
• Levant (n): A broader historical geographical term for the Eastern Mediterranean region, which includes the Holy Land.

Synonyms

• The Land of Israel: A term emphasizing the Jewish historical and religious connection to the region.
• Terra Sancta: The Latin term for "Holy Land."

Related Phrases

• Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: A journey undertaken for religious reasons to sacred sites within this region.
  • Saving for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land was the goal of his lifetime.

Related Idioms

• (To be) a modern Holy Land: Used metaphorically to describe a place considered supremely important or sacred to a particular group or ideology.
  • For tech enthusiasts, Silicon Valley is a modern Holy Land.

Noun

1. an ancient country in southwestern Asia on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea; a place of pilgrimage for Christianity and Islam and Judaism