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 probably doesn't give you the shivers—or does it? Hallowed is the past participle of the verb hallow, a term that descends from the Middle English 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, and the evening that preceded All Hallows' Day was All Hallows' Eve or All Hallow Even—or, as we know it today, Halloween.

Synonyms

• revered
• reverend
• sacred
• venerable
• venerated

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

Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph's spirit has never left the hallowed halls of studio 8H — literally. —Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 9 May 2024

In the hallowed halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, fashion may have reawakened, but at Sir John’s soirée, beauty transcended mere adornment, reminding us all that in a world hungry for spectacle, the truest magic lies in the transformative power of self-expression. —Grace Bukunmi, Essence, 8 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

see hallow

First Known Use

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