Grail

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɡɹeɪl/

Definitions

1. A legendary cup or dish believed to possess miraculous powers, often sought in medieval tales and symbolizing an elusive or ultimate goal
2. A mythical vessel associated with divine grace and quests, often representing a profound aspiration or ultimate desire in literature and art
3. An esteemed chalice fabled to grant eternal life or enlightenment, frequently symbolizing the pursuit of noble ideals or personal fulfillment

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "grail" is that its best-known sense, the holy vessel of Arthurian legend, is a late development on top of a much humbler object. In Old French, "graal" or "greal" simply meant a cup or dish, and that is what it meant when it reached Middle English as "graal" or "greal." The legendary sense came later, as medieval romance writers attached the word to a sacred cup and gave it an aura of divine grace and quest. The word's ultimate origin is debated. One proposal traces it to Medieval Latin "gradalis," which may have been a corrupted form of Latin "crater," meaning bowl. A separate line of descent runs from Latin "graduale," which passed through Old French "grael" into Middle English "grayel," making it a doublet of "gradual." Some etymologists also connect it with Old French "graite," meaning slender, though this link is uncertain.

Synonyms: cup, chalice, vessel, relic, treasure