hallowed
HAL-ohd
/ˈhæl.oʊd/
Honored as holy; consecrated; highly revered or respected.
Carries a deep, ancient, and solemn tone. It is often used to describe ground, traditions, or halls of learning that have earned immense respect over time.
The story behind the word. Hallowed comes from the Old English verb hālgian, meaning to make holy, which is derived from hāl, meaning whole, healthy, or unhurt. This is the same root that gives us the words whole, healthy, and holy, showing that ancient people viewed holiness as a state of complete wholeness.
Word relationships
- sacred: A general term for something connected with God or dedicated to a religious purpose, whereas hallowed emphasizes long-standing reverence and honor.
- revered: Deeply respected, but does not necessarily carry the religious or spiritual weight of hallowed.
- profane: Secular, unholy, or showing defiance toward sacred things.
- desecrated: Violated or treated with violent disrespect.
Commonly confused with
- holy: Holy is an intrinsic spiritual quality of being divine, while hallowed often implies that humans have recognized and treated the place or thing as sacred over time.
Word family
- hallow (verb): To make holy or honor as holy.
- Halloween (noun): All Hallows' Eve, the evening before All Saints' (Hallows') Day.
Collocations
- hallowed ground
- hallowed halls
- hallowed traditions
- hallowed memory
Example sentences
- "But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground." From the famous Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln. (Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg Address (1863))
- "She walked through the hallowed halls of the university, feeling the weight of centuries of academic excellence." Describing the prestigious halls of an old university.
Memory hook
Think of the word hallowed as being full of halos (halo-ed), the glowing rings above the heads of saints. Full of halos and holiness.
When not to use
Do not use for modern, casual, or trivial things that have not earned deep historical or spiritual respect.
Fun facts
- The word Halloween is a direct contraction of 'All Hallows' Even,' meaning the night before the Christian feast of All Hallows (All Saints) Day.
Related words
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