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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.

“This is a major hurdle and overcoming this barrier has been really the Holy Grail in neurology,” he says.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

He co-directed The Holy Grail with Gilliam and also co-wrote the series Ripping Yarns with Palin, who he first met at Oxford University.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

AI might be the Holy Grail of technology buffs, but it’s a poisoned chalice for the job market.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

But just a few weeks later the test’s manufacturer, Grail, announced disappointing study results: the test didn’t reach statistical significance in later-stage cancers—stages 3 and 4.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

A group photo of the members of Monty Python in their Holy Grail costumes.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Vocabulary lists containing grail

Solo

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Novel Study: The Great Gatsby, Chapters 7–9

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Ready Player One

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