Definitions for holly
ˈhɒl ihol·ly

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. holly(noun)

   any tree or shrub of the genus Ilex having red berries and shiny evergreen leaves with prickly edges

2. Holly, Buddy Holly, Charles Hardin Holley(noun)

   United States rock star (1936-1959)

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. holly(Noun)

   Any of various shrubs or (mostly) small trees, of the genus Ilex, either evergreen or deciduous, used as decoration especially at Christmas.

   Etymology: holly, shortening of holin, from holegn, from huli- (compare Dutch/German hulst, Old Norse hulfr), from kol 'prickly' (compare Welsh celyn 'holly', Russian kolos 'ear of wheat', Albanian kallí 'straw, chaff', Sanskrit kaţambá 'arrow'), from *kel 'to cut' (compare Old Church Slavonic kolja 'to prick').

2. holly(Noun)

   The wood from this tree.

   Etymology: holly, shortening of holin, from holegn, from huli- (compare Dutch/German hulst, Old Norse hulfr), from kol 'prickly' (compare Welsh celyn 'holly', Russian kolos 'ear of wheat', Albanian kallí 'straw, chaff', Sanskrit kaţambá 'arrow'), from *kel 'to cut' (compare Old Church Slavonic kolja 'to prick').

3. holly(Noun)

   Any of several unrelated plant species likened to Ilex because of their prickly, evergreen foliage and/or round, bright-red berries

   Etymology: holly, shortening of holin, from holegn, from huli- (compare Dutch/German hulst, Old Norse hulfr), from kol 'prickly' (compare Welsh celyn 'holly', Russian kolos 'ear of wheat', Albanian kallí 'straw, chaff', Sanskrit kaţambá 'arrow'), from *kel 'to cut' (compare Old Church Slavonic kolja 'to prick').

4. Holly(ProperNoun)

   A female given name from English.

   Grandma said, "I used to know a little girl called Holly - she always had her dresses trimmed with red or green." Milly-Molly-Mandy thought that was quite a nice name.

   Etymology: English Wikipedia has an article on:Holly (name)Wikipedia

5. Holly(ProperNoun)

   A topographic surname.

   Etymology: English Wikipedia has an article on:Holly (name)Wikipedia

6. Holly(ProperNoun)

   A male given name transferred from the surname.

   Etymology: English Wikipedia has an article on:Holly (name)Wikipedia

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Holly(adverb)

   wholly

   Etymology: [OE holi, holin, AS. holen, holegn; akin to D. & G. hulst, OHG. huls hulis, W. celyn, Armor. kelen, Gael. cuilionn, Ir. cuileann. Cf. 1st Holm, Hulver.]

2. Holly(noun)

   a tree or shrub of the genus Ilex. The European species (Ilex Aguifolium) is best known, having glossy green leaves, with a spiny, waved edge, and bearing berries that turn red or yellow about Michaelmas

   Etymology: [OE holi, holin, AS. holen, holegn; akin to D. & G. hulst, OHG. huls hulis, W. celyn, Armor. kelen, Gael. cuilionn, Ir. cuileann. Cf. 1st Holm, Hulver.]

3. Holly(noun)

   the holm oak. See 1st Holm

   Etymology: [OE holi, holin, AS. holen, holegn; akin to D. & G. hulst, OHG. huls hulis, W. celyn, Armor. kelen, Gael. cuilionn, Ir. cuileann. Cf. 1st Holm, Hulver.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Holly

   Ilex, or holly, is a genus of 400 to 600 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. The species are evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbers from tropics to temperate zones worldwide.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Holly

   hol′i, n. an evergreen shrub having leathery, shining, and spinous leaves and scarlet or yellow berries, much used for Christmas decorations. [A.S. holegn; cf. W. celyn, Ir. cuileann.]

Rap Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. holly(noun)

   See ho.

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. holly

   Song lyrics by holly -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by holly on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'holly' in Nouns Frequency: #3027

How to pronounce holly?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say holly in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of holly in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of holly in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of holly in a Sentence

1. Drew Galloway:

   My favorite fans are Holly and Sophie but I still love all of my fans. Holly, Sophie, if you're out there, good luck with hockey!

2. Kendra Wilkinson:

   Holly, you can tell, had this ulterior motive every minute being at the Mansion, and that motive was -- it was clear as day -- she wanted Hef's kids, she wanted a piece of Playboy and she wanted to marry Hef for, obviously, his will.

3. David W. Donoho:

   Everybody’s great. Holly is tired, but she’s fine. Riley came right out and as soon as he heard Holly’s voice, he smiled. He has hair like Elvis — a full head of black hair. The doctor said he came out looking like a 2-year-old.

4. Kate Delaney:

   If you saw Ronda Rousey in ‘ Entourage ’ Ronda Rousey did a pretty good job in it and of course the reason Ronda Rousey was there is because Ronda Rousey was undefeated, but Ronda Rousey is so much deeper than that, there are so many more layers to Ronda Rousey than there are to Holly Holm and not to take anything away from that fight, but they will have a rematch and I think Ronda Rousey will win that — and I don’t think the in-between time will take away from Ronda Rousey bankability.

5. Charles Dickens:

   'Out upon merry Christmas What's Christmas time to you but a time for paying bills without money a time for finding yourself a year older, but not an hour richer... If I could work my will,' said Scrooge indignantly, 'every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' upon his lips should be boiled with his won pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should'

Images & Illustrations of holly

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