The primary meaning of holy is _____.

• A. Sacred
• B. Divine
• C. Separate
• D. Pure

Answer: (C)

Holiness starts with the idea of separation—being set apart for a special purpose. The root sense is that something is distinct from the ordinary and reserved for sacred use, which is why the primary meaning is separate. From that act of setting apart, we get the related idea of sacredness and consecration, so things that are set apart are often described as sacred or holy. Describing something as divine points to its source or origin (God) rather than the act of setting it apart, and calling something pure comments on its quality after being set apart, not the initial act itself. So the fundamental idea is the act of being separated for a sacred purpose, with sacredness and other attributes flowing from that.