• Hallelujah! •
Printable Version Pronunciation: hæ-lê-lu-yê • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Interjection, Noun
Meaning: 1. An interjection of unexpected joy or relief; 2. an exclamation of "Hallelujah!" or piece of music based on it.
Notes: The entire management and staff of Lexiteria are shouting, "Hallelujah!" today as we enter our first New Year as our own company with its alpha DICTIONARY site. As you no doubt know by now, we are the entire former staff of yourDictionary.com set off on our own with no constraints on our enthusiasm and invention. We hope you will continue traveling with us and tell your friends about our fa-a-a-bulous cybercruise through the inner workings of language.
In Play: We are shouting, "Hallelujah!" because of it is the first New Year of our new website but students have 'hallelujah' moments, too: "Hallelujah! Exams are over!" Parents occasionally feel like we do today, "Hallelujah! The kids are off to camp for the rest of the summer!" But, then, so do the kids: "Hallelujah! The 'rents are gone for the weekend!"
Word History: This very good word comes from Hebrew hallalű-yah "praise to God (Yahweh)," based on "hallalu," the imperative of hillel "to praise." Hallel "song of praise" is a member of the same family. These words share the same ancestor as Arabic halala, a Saudi Arabian coin. The name of the Arabian coin is akin to hilal "crescent" from halla "to appear" (said of the moon). Yah is a shortened form of the Hebrew word for God. It is found in many personal names such as Jedidiah (Hebrew yedid-yah "beloved of God"), Matthew (Hebrew mattay-yah "gift of God"), and Isaiah (Hebrew yeša'-yahu "salvation of God"). The origin of this word may be Hebrew haya "to cause to be." Jehovah is the modern English (mis)pronunciation of it.
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