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grail

[greyl] / greɪl /
NOUN
sacred vessel
Synonyms
STRONG
chalice cup
WEAK
holy dish

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for grail?
A grail is a type of cup, chalice, goblet, or vessel. But the word is almost always used to mean the Holy Grail or a holy grail. When capitalized, Holy Grail (or just Grail) refers to the cup that according to medieval legend was used by Jesus at the Last Supper. Due to legends about the cup’s supposed powers, it became the subject of quests by knights who hoped to locate it, including the legendary King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. (A somewhat similar legend is that of El Dorado, the legendary city of gold and treasure sought by Spanish colonizers.) This sense of Holy Grail and Grail eventually came to be used (often in lowercase) in a metaphorical way to refer to any greatly desired and sought-after objective, reward, item, or ultimate ideal. For example, a particularly rare book may be called the holy grail of rare book collecting, or winning the World Cup may be called the holy grail of soccer (football). Such things are often described as highly sought-after. A person’s ultimate desire may be called their grail. A similar term is heart’s desire. Similar but less idiomatic terms are ultimate prize and ultimate goal.
Why is the Holy Grail called a grail?
The word grail comes from a Medieval Latin word gradālis, meaning “platter.” At some point, medieval legends started to use the image of a cup (as opposed to a bowl, platter, or other vessel).

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Ilmenite materials migrated to the near side and sunk into the interior in sheetlike cascades, leaving behind a vestige that causes anomalies in the moon's gravity field, as seen by GRAIL."

From Science Daily • Apr. 8, 2024

Federal Trade Commission judge ruled in favor of its acquisition of GRAIL.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 6, 2022

One, GRAIL, is selling its annual test, with a list price of $949, in advance of approval, and another company, Exact Sciences, expects to follow suit, using a provision known as laboratory developed tests.

From New York Times • Jun. 10, 2022

"HOLY GRAIL" Storage is seen as energy's "holy grail" because of the efficiency it brings to any grid.

From Reuters • Aug. 12, 2013

GRAIL, THE HOLY, the famous talisman of Arthurian romance, the object of quest on the part of the knights of the Round Table.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 3 "Gordon, Lord George" to "Grasses" by Various

Vocabulary lists containing grail

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Novel Study: The Great Gatsby, Chapters 7–9

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