hallowed

adjective

hal·​lowed ˈha-(ˌ)lōd How to pronounce hallowed (audio)
ˈha-ləd,
 in the Lord's Prayer often  ˈha-lə-wəd
1
: holy, consecrated
the church stands on hallowed ground
2
: sacred, revered
the university's hallowed halls
hallowed customs

Did you know?

Hallowed Has Old English Roots

The adjective hallowed, meaning "holy" or "revered," isn’t especially spooky, but its history is entwined with that of a certain spooky season. Hallowed is the past participle of the verb hallow, a term that descends from the Middle English word halowen. That word can be traced back to the Old English adjective hālig, meaning "holy." During the Middle Ages, All Hallows' Day was the name for what Christians now call All Saints' Day (hallow was once used also as a noun referring to a saint), and the evening that preceded All Hallows' Day was All Hallows' Eve or All Hallow Even—or, as we know it today, Halloween. (Although pumpkins are often hollowed out on Halloween, hollow has a different Old English root.)

Examples of hallowed in a Sentence

The church stands on hallowed ground. the college's hallowed tradition of ringing the chapel bell one hundred times before commencement ceremonies
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Out of the 84, the BBWAA have elected 45 pitchers to the hallowed halls of Cooperstown with 18 in their first year of eligibility. Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025 Featured Recipe Lemony Greek Chicken, Spinach and Potato Stew View Recipe → Lemon and salmon is one of those hallowed pairings, with the acidity of the citrus tempering the richness of the fish. Melissa Clark, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025 These moments are an opportunity for Swedish studio MachineGames to flex its technical chops, and, more importantly, a chance for the player to experience something of the appreciation Indy holds for these hallowed artworks of the past. Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024 Frida Somehow, this is Frida Kahlo’s first appearance in the Art Institute’s hallowed halls. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for hallowed 

Word History

Etymology

see hallow

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hallowed was before the 12th century

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Dictionary Entries Near hallowed

Cite this Entry

“Hallowed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hallowed. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

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