grail

American  

[greyl] / greɪl /

noun

1. Sometimes Grail any greatly desired and sought-after objective; ultimate ideal or reward.

   The film's protagonist is defined by the struggle for his grail, a championship title he failed to win earlier in life.

2. Often the Grail Holy Grail.

   Weeks pass, and none of the knights return, so King Arthur himself must quest for the Grail.

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Grail British  

/ ɡreɪl /

noun

1. See Holy Grail

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Etymology

Origin of grail

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English graiel, graile, from Anglo-French grahel, grayel, Old French gräel, grel, from Medieval Latin gradālis “platter,” of uncertain origin; perhaps distantly connected to Latin crātēr “mixing bowl” ( see crater ( def. )) or crātis “wickerwork” ( see grate ¹ ( def. ))

Explanation

A grail is some valuable thing you search for or pursue. A golfer's holy grail might be a hole in one. While the object of any serious pursuit is commonly described as a "holy grail," many who use the term might not know its origin. The original Holy Grail is a valuable chalice, cup, or plate — often made of gold — that's sought in medieval and Arthurian legends. The influence of Christianity makes the grail "holy," originally because it was said to have been used at the Last Supper. Grail has a Medieval Latin root, gradalis, "flat dish."

Example Sentences

The value of the Japanese playing cards was illustrated recently when one described as the "holy grail" sold for £30,000.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

The financial world is full of people and firms claiming that they have the secret, the magic key, the holy grail, that will enable you to beat the market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

“Musk wants to own and control more of the AI ecosystem and…the holy grail could be combining SpaceX and Tesla over the next 12 to 18 months.”

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

I needed Ashwagandha — that was my holy grail at the time for my perimenopause journey, and I was out of it.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2026

Then I opened my grail diary and accessed the subfolder devoted to the legendary Canadian rock band Rush.

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