hallowed
adjective
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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
Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Arlington National Cemetery is hallowed ground, a peaceful spot to remember those who died in the chaos of war and combat.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 27 May 2025
The excitement in more hallowed halls is also palpable.
—Geraldo Cadava, New Yorker, 22 May 2025
My friend and colleague Bill Plaschke argued in those hallowed Times’ pages that the Lakers must trade Austin Reaves to fulfill their needs for a big man no matter how painful the decision would be.
—Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hallowed
Cite this Entry
“Hallowed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hallowed. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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