hallowed

adjective

hal·​lowed ˈha-(ˌ)lōd 

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.)

Synonyms of hallowed

• venerable
• venerated
• revered
• sacred

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

The worn penny tile floor and brick wall collection of show posters—Soundgarden, Butthole Surfers, Sonic Youth, Alice in Chains—are hallowed ground on any grunge lover's pilgrimage to the state. —Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026

Time will tell if Clark is among those hallowed few. —Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 29 May 2026

But in November, Billboard opened its hallowed charts to nonhumans for the first time, allowing streams of songs by AI performers like country music act Breaking Rust and R&B singer Xania Monet to count alongside Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. —The Week Us, TheWeek, 27 May 2026

The hallowed ground of Arlington National Cemetery is always a poignant place to visit. —Mike Snider, USA Today, 23 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

see hallow

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for hallowed

• unhallowed

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!