Hallel
/ˈhɑːləl/noun
A Jewish liturgical recitation of Psalms 113–118, traditionally sung on festivals and other occasions of rejoicing.
Did you know?The opening of Hallel’s Hebrew root appears in “Hallelujah,” meaning “praise Yah,” linking Jewish festival prayer with one of the world’s most recognizable sacred exclamations.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*hll
“To praise, acclaim, or celebrate loudly”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
הַלֵּל (hallēl)
“Praise; give praise, especially in a communal or liturgical setting”
Second Temple Period
Hebrew
הַלֵּל (Hallel)
“A prescribed collection of Psalms 113–118 recited during major Jewish festivals”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀλληλούϊα (allēlouïa)
“Hallelujah—“praise Yah,” a Hebrew liturgical expression transliterated into Greek”
18th–19th Century
English
Hallel
“A Jewish service or recitation of Psalms 113–118 adopted as an English religious term”
Modern English
English
Hallel
“The festival Psalms and their liturgical recitation in Judaism”
Explore more surprising origins