Select the one word that best substitutes the following expression: the state or quality of being holy.

Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question asks for a one word substitute for a longer description. Such questions test a learner understanding of precise English nouns that capture specific abstract ideas, which is very useful for competitive exams, formal writing, and comprehension of academic texts. Here, the expression is the state or quality of being holy, so we are looking for a word that summarises religious purity, sacredness, and moral elevation in a single term.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The stem gives enough information to identify the required word if we know common abstract nouns related to morality and religion.

The phrase is the state or quality of being holy.
Holy suggests something sacred, devoted to God, pure, or saintly.
The options include several abstract nouns related to character and behaviour.
We assume the word needed is standard and commonly used in formal English.

Concept / Approach:
In English, many abstract nouns are formed from adjectives by adding endings like ity, ness, or ship. The adjective holy is closely associated with the noun holiness, but in more formal and literary contexts, sanctity is often used as the single word that means the state of being sacred, holy, or saintly. By contrast, the other options relate to greed, meanness, or miserliness, which are opposite in sense. Therefore, our strategy is to match each option with its known meaning and see which one correctly expresses spiritual or moral holiness.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify by thinking of common phrases where this word appears, such as the sanctity of life, the sanctity of marriage, or the sanctity of a temple. In each of these examples, sanctity clearly refers to holiness and sacredness. Dictionaries also define sanctity as the state of being holy or extremely important and deserving respect. Substituting the word in the original expression, the sanctity of the place fits naturally, confirming that this choice matches the required meaning exactly.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Avarice means extreme greed for wealth or material gain, which is morally negative and unrelated to holiness. Baseness refers to moral lowliness or lack of principles, again the opposite of being holy. Parsimony means extreme unwillingness to spend money, that is stinginess or miserliness. Piety refers to religious devotion or dutiful respect, which is close in field but describes behaviour rather than the abstract state of holiness itself. Therefore, sanctity is the most accurate substitute for the state or quality of being holy.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes confuse piety and sanctity because both occur in religious contexts. However, piety highlights acts of devotion and reverence, whereas sanctity focuses on the inherent holiness or sacred quality of a person, place, or thing. Another typical error is choosing a word simply because it sounds formal or unfamiliar, without checking its meaning. In one word substitution questions, it is vital to know exact definitions rather than rely on vague impressions.

Final Answer:
The correct one word substitute for the state or quality of being holy is Sanctity.