heilige

Heilige is a German term with two related uses. As an adjective, it means “holy” or “sacred,” used to describe persons, places, or things regarded as divine, consecrated, or morally exemplary. As a noun, it functions as a title for a saint: der Heilige (masculine), die Heilige (feminine), and the plural die Heiligen for saints in general. In religious contexts, the noun is usually capitalized, as in Der Heilige Geist (the Holy Spirit) or Die Heilige Jungfrau (the Holy Virgin).

The word derives from Old High German heilag and is cognate with the English word holy and other Germanic forms. In modern German, the adjective heilig remains common in formal and everyday language, while the noun Heilige appears mainly in religious, hagiographic, or liturgical contexts. The plural die Heiligen can also refer to saints collectively or to a specific group of revered figures.

Usage notes include the distinction between the general moral sense of “holy” and the proper-name use as a saint’s title. In Catholic and Orthodox German-language texts, saints are frequently referred to with the noun form, and set phrases such as Heilige Familie (Holy Family) or Heilige Schrift (Holy Scripture) appear. Outside strictly religious writing, the term can take on figurative or ceremonial nuances, describing something regarded with great reverence or sanctity.