Definition of Halloween
: October 31 observed especially with dressing up in disguise, trick-or-treating, and displaying jack-o'-lanterns during the evening
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Origin and Etymology of halloween
short for All Hallow Even (All Saints' Eve)
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HALLOWEEN Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of Halloween for English Language Learners
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: the night of October 31 when children dress up as ghosts, witches, monsters, etc., and go to houses to ask for candy
HALLOWEEN Defined for Kids
Definition of Halloween for Students
: October 31 celebrated especially by wearing costumes and trick-or-treating
History for halloween
In the Christian calendar the first day of November is All Saints' Day, which honors all the saints in heaven. The usual earlier name for this day in English was All Hallows Day or All Hallow Day, and the previous evening (October 31) was called All Hallows Eve or All Hallow Even. (The word hallow, related to holy, meant “saint.”) In Scotland All Hallow Even was contracted to Hallow-e’en, now spelled Halloween.
Learn More about halloween
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See words that rhyme with Halloween Spanish Central: Translation of Halloween Nglish: Translation of Halloween for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of Halloween for Arabic speakers
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