- informal alluring, wonderful, or sublime
- of or occurring in space: a heavenly body
- divine; holy
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
heav•en•ly
(hev′ən lē),USA pronunciation adj.
heav′en•li•ness, n.
- of or in the heavens:the heavenly bodies.
- Religionof, belonging to, or coming from the heaven of God, the angels, etc.
- resembling or befitting heaven;
blissful;
beautiful:His home in Tahiti was a heavenly spot. - divine or celestial:heavenly peace.
- Middle English hevenly, Old English heofonlīc. See heaven, -ly bef. 1000
- 4. supernal, sublime; seraphic, cherubic, angelic; blessed, beatific.
- 4. infernal, hellish.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
heavenly /ˈhɛvənlɪ/ adj
heav•en /ˈhɛvən/USA pronunciation
n.
heav•en•ward /ˈhɛvənwɚd/USA pronunciation adv., adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Religion the place where God, the angels, and the spirits of good people live after death:[uncountable]children taught they must be good if they want to go to heaven some day.
- Usually, heavens. [plural] the sky:Ancient astronomers studied the heavens.
- a place or state of supreme happiness:[uncountable]This tropical island is heaven.
- Often, heavens. This word is used in phrases to express emphasis, surprise, or other emotion:For heaven's sake, watch what you're doing!
heav•en•ward /ˈhɛvənwɚd/USA pronunciation adv., adj.
heav•en
(hev′ən),USA pronunciation n.
heav′en•less, adj.
- Religionthe abode of God, the angels, and the spirits of the righteous after death;
the place or state of existence of the blessed after the mortal life. - Religion(cap.) Often, Heavens. the celestial powers;
God. - Religiona metonym for God (used in expressions of emphasis, surprise, etc.):For heaven's sake!
- heavens:
- (used interjectionally to express emphasis, surprise, etc.):Heavens, what a cold room!
- Show Business(used with a sing. v.) a wooden roof or canopy over the outer stage of an Elizabethan theater.
- Usually, heavens. the sky, firmament, or expanse of space surrounding the earth.
- a place or state of supreme happiness:She made his life a heaven on earth.
- Idioms move heaven and earth, to do one's utmost to effect an end;
make a supreme effort:She promised to move heaven and earth to be there for our wedding anniversary.
- bef. 900; Middle English heven, Old English heofon; cognate with Middle Low German heven; akin to Old Norse himinn, Gothic himins, German Himmel
'heavenly' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
astro-
- celesta
- celestial
- culmination
- empyrean
- Jackson
- New Jerusalem
- observation
- quartile
- quintessence
- right ascension
- sextant
- sphere
- spherical
- unearthly
- Uranian
- uranism
- aberration
- altazimuth
- altitude
- amplitude
- apocenter
- apogee
- arc
- astral body
- astrology
- astronomical clock
- atmosphere
- azimuth
- Celeste
- Celestial City
- celestial mechanics
- celestial navigation
- circle
- condignity
- configuration
- conjunction
- crater
- cross-staff
- declination
- desiderate
- diurnal circle
- divine
- earthly
- emersion
- ephemeris
- equator
- ethereal
- fire
- fix