hallowed
- 01 C2 Proficiency
holy or made sacred by a religious ceremony.
consecrated or sanctified; regarded as holy and set apart for religious purposes.
Simple“The monks walked quietly through the hallowed halls of the ancient monastery.”
In context“The cathedral was built upon hallowed ground, where pilgrims had gathered for centuries to seek spiritual healing.”
UsageOften used to describe physical spaces like churches or cemeteries.
- 02 C2 Proficiency
very respected because of its history or the famous people who were there.
highly venerated or respected due to historical importance or traditional prestige.
Simple“It was a dream come true to play on the hallowed turf of the stadium.”
In context“The young lawyer felt a sense of awe as she entered the hallowed chambers of the Supreme Court.”
Teacher's tipIn modern secular contexts, this is frequently used to describe famous sports stadiums or prestigious universities.
“At the rally, Trump described the ballroom as a “beautiful, magnificent complex, being built on the hallowed grounds of our cherished White House”.”
“After staff members cut the metal fencing keeping them in, they found freedom, pressing their paws into what would become their hallowed ground.”
From Middle English halwed (“hallowed, sacred, sanctified”), from Old English ġehālgod (“hallowed, sacred, sanctified”), past participle of hālgian (“to hallow, make holy”). Equivalent to hallow + -ed. More at hallow.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.