holy man
Devout spiritual figure
A holy man is someone regarded as spiritually pure or divinely connected, typically living an ascetic or devotional life.
The term appears most often in descriptions of Eastern religions—Hindu sadhus, Buddhist monks, wandering mystics: The holy man sat cross-legged at the temple entrance.
It can also be used ironically for someone acting self-righteous.
One who performs sacraments
- monkCloistered religious devotee
- friarMendicant order member
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
- rabbiJewish spiritual leader
imam · lama · swami · shaman · druid · cleric · minister · pastor
Person choosing total seclusion
- monkCloistered religious devotee
- anchoriteReligious recluse in enclosure
- recluseOne choosing isolation
- eremiteReligious hermit
fakir · sadhu · abstinence · celibacy · austerity · renunciation · solitude · fasting
Canonized holy person
- blessedReceiving divine favor
- beatifiedOfficially declared blessed
- canonizedDeclared officially holy
- martyrVictim for beliefs
miracle · halo · relic · shrine · veneration · devotion · purity · innocence
Wisdom keeper or seasoning
- elderSenior figure of authority
- guruRevered authority figure
- teacherOne who instructs others
- mentorTrusted wisdom-giving advisor
oracle · seer · counselor · advisor · wisdom · insight · guidance · enlightenment
Seeker of sacred truth
- visionaryImaginative planner of futures
- contemplativeInclined to deep thought
- enlightenedPossessing profound insight
- transcendentExceeding usual boundaries
divine · sacred · anointed · inspired · ecstatic · revelation · prophecy · blessing
priest
One who performs sacraments
rabbi · imam · lama · swami · shaman · druid · cleric · minister · pastor · preacher
hermit
Person choosing total seclusion
- monkCloistered religious devotee
- anchoriteReligious recluse in enclosure
- recluseOne choosing isolation
eremite · fakir · sadhu · abstinence · celibacy · austerity · renunciation · solitude · fasting · meditation
saint
Canonized holy person
martyr · miracle · halo · relic · shrine · veneration · devotion · purity · innocence · altruistic
sage
Wisdom keeper or seasoning
mentor · oracle · seer · counselor · advisor · wisdom · insight · guidance · enlightenment · discernment
mystic
Seeker of sacred truth
- visionaryImaginative planner of futures
- contemplativeInclined to deep thought
- enlightenedPossessing profound insight
transcendent · divine · sacred · anointed · inspired · ecstatic · revelation · prophecy · blessing · healing
- tribal healingmedicine woman, traditional healers, healer, curandero, herbalist
- asceticsascetic, ascetics, hermit, hermits, recluse
- BuddhaSiddhartha, Gautama, Buddha, enlightenment, bodhi
- Holy Figuressaint, prophet, messiah, savior, apostle
- holy peoplesaint, saints, prophet, martyr, mystic
- mysticsmystic, seer, clairvoyant, diviner, spiritualist
holy manblasphemer
One who insults deity
heretic · apostate · desecrator · profaner · antichrist
holy manSatanist
Adherent of infernal religion
sorcerer · black magician · warlock · necromancer · witch doctor
man, holy, human, manly, humane, humanity, inhuman, holiness, mankind