Alleluias

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used to express joyful praise, often in a religious context, and typically associated with exclamations of gratitude or joy
2. It can also refer to the chants or songs sung to celebrate moments of spiritual significance or triumph
3. The word may denote an enthusiastic shout or expression of delight, especially in response to good news or remarkable events

Etymology: Alleluia is a Hebrew phrase that has passed through Greek and Latin into English, and the plural "alleluias" is simply the English form used when the word is counted or repeated. The Hebrew original, "halləlūyāh," joins "halləlū," meaning "praise!", with "yāh," a short form of the divine name, so the whole phrase means "praise the Lord." Greek writers transliterated it as "allēlouia," and Latin took that form as "allēlūia," which carried the word into the liturgy of the Western church. English borrowed it as a learned term from Latin, and the spelling stayed close to its Hebrew sound rather than being translated. Because the word was a liturgical exclamation, sung repeatedly in worship, its meaning drifted from the words themselves toward the act of singing them. That is why the plural now names the chants and songs sung on occasions of spiritual joy or triumph, not just individual utterances of the exclamation.