Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

hail

noun (1)
\ ˈhāl \

Definition of hail

 (Entry 1 of 5)

1 : precipitation in the form of small balls or lumps usually consisting of concentric layers of clear ice and compact snow
2 : something that gives the effect of a shower of hail a hail of rifle fire

hail

verb (1)
hailed; hailing; hails

Definition of hail (Entry 2 of 5)

intransitive verb

1 : to precipitate hail (see hail entry 1) it was hailing hard
2 : to pour down or strike like hail Bullets were hailing down on them.

hail

interjection

Definition of hail (Entry 3 of 5)

1 archaic —used as a salutation
2 —used to express acclamation hail to the chief— Sir Walter Scott

hail

verb (2)
hailed; hailing; hails

Definition of hail (Entry 4 of 5)

transitive verb

1a : salute, greet returning soldiers hailed with parades
b : to greet with enthusiastic approval : acclaim hailed as a great success
2 : to greet or summon by calling hail a taxi

intransitive verb

: to call out especially : to call a greeting to a passing ship
hail from
: to be or have been native to or a resident of She hails from Chicago.

hail

noun (2)

Definition of hail (Entry 5 of 5)

1 : an exclamation of greeting or acclamation greeted the emperor with a hail
2 : a calling to attract attention
3 : hearing distance stayed within hail

Other Words from hail

Verb (2)

hailer \ ˈhā-​lər \ noun

First Known Use of hail

Noun (1)

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

Verb (1)

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

Interjection

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for hail

Noun (1) and Verb (1)

Middle English, from Old English hægl; akin to Old High German hagal hail

Interjection, Verb (2), and Noun (2)

Middle English, from Old Norse heill, from heill healthy — more at whole

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about hail

Statistics for hail

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for hail

The first known use of hail was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for hail

hail

noun
\ ˈhāl \

Kids Definition of hail

 (Entry 1 of 3)

1 : small lumps of ice and snow that fall from the clouds sometimes during thunderstorms
2 : volley entry 1 sense 1 a hail of bullets

hail

verb
hailed; hailing

Kids Definition of hail (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : to fall as hail It's hailing hard.
2 : to pour down like hail Confetti hailed on the parade.

hail

verb
hailed; hailing

Kids Definition of hail (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : greet sense 1, welcome The town hailed the returning soldiers.
2 : to call out to I'll hail a taxi.
hail from
: to come from She hails from Oklahoma.

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on hail

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with hail

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hail

Spanish Central: Translation of hail

Nglish: Translation of hail for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of hail for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hail

Comments on hail

What made you want to look up hail? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

gargantuan

tremendous in size, volume, or degree

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Homophone Quiz

  • three-bears-two-of-them-look-like-theyre-whispering-to-a-third-bear-who-looks-chuffed-to-be-the-center-of-attention
  • In order to judge how people felt, the senator's office hired a firm to take a ______.
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

TRENDING NOW

  1. cache BuzzFeed reports on Trump-Cohen documents.

  2. intransigence, intransigent Trump cancels Davos trip.

  3. white supremacist Steve King discusses views.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games