Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Something considered holy.
  • noun A sanctuary.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Holiness; sanctity; sacred honor; also, something regarded as sacred, as a relic: formerly much used in solemn oaths or adjurations.
  • noun A sanctuary.
  • noun Lands held of a religious foundation.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Archaic Holiness; sanctity; sacred oath; sacred things; sanctuary; -- used chiefly in oaths.
  • noun rare Holy doom; the Last Day.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun obsolete Holiness.
  • noun archaic A sanctuary.
  • noun archaic A holy relic.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old English hāligdōm : hālig, holy; see holy + -dōm, -dom.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old English hāliġdōm, corresponding to holy + -dom.

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Examples

  • "Why, a halidom is a halidom," said the fat man, thoughtfully; "and belongs to kings."

    John Dough And The Cherub Baum, L. Frank 1906

  • Villagers hailed the party in soft voices as it proceeded to the halidom.

    Hokas Pokas Anderson, Poul 2000

  • "By my halidom!" and all the rest of the sweepings and tailings of Scott and the third-rate romanticists.

    A Lost Story 1996

  • The site may even become a halidom, like Thermopylae or Bodhgaya, around which hearts can irrationally rally.

    The Stars Are Also Fire Anderson, Poul, 1926-2001 1994

  • The site may even become a halidom, like Thermopylae or Bodhgaya, around which hearts can irrationally rally.

    The Stars Are Also Fire Anderson, Poul, 1926-2001 1994

  • Today church bells rang in Norway, as they had done for a lifetime or more in Denmark, yes, above that halidom of the Mother where he and the garland girl had offered flowers ...

    The Boat of a Million Years Anderson, Poul, 1926- 1989

  • Today church bells rang in Norway, as they had done for a lifetime or more in Denmark, yes, above that halidom of the Mother where he and the garland girl had offered flowers ...

    The Boat of a Million Years Anderson, Poul, 1926- 1988

  • Carven dragons reared over its gables; horns of elk and aurochs above the doors were gilded; pillars within bore the images of gods - save for Wodan, who had a richly bedecked halidom nearby.

    Time Patrolman Anderson, Poul, 1926-2001 1983

  • Strangely, at this halidom the Wanderer forbade bloodshed.

    Time Patrolman Anderson, Poul, 1926-2001 1983

  • "By my halidom!" and all the rest of the sweepings and tailings of Scott and the third-rate romanticists.

    The Spinner's Book of Fiction Various

Comments

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  • Their sacrament is cranial kibble

    So do not be selfish and quibble.

    If zombies pallid come

    In search of some halidom

    Stand still for a sip and a nibble.

    November 10, 2015