Hallelujahs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Expressions of joy or praise, often used in religious contexts
2. A term commonly used to denote celebration or triumph, particularly in spiritual or ceremonial settings
3. Enthusiastic shouts of gratitude, typically associated with worship or reflection on divine goodness

Etymology: "Hallelujahs" is simply the plural of "hallelujah," so the story belongs to the singular. The word arrived in English from Biblical Hebrew "halləlūyāh," a learned borrowing built from two parts: "halləlū," meaning "praise!" (a plural imperative, addressed to a group), and "yāh," a short form of the divine name, usually rendered "Lord" or "Jah." Together they make "praise the Lord," and the word survives in the Hebrew Psalms, where it opens and closes many of them. English kept the Hebrew sound almost intact, so the word still looks foreign at a glance. Its spelling and pronunciation were shaped by the Greek and Latin transliterations of the Bible, which is why the familiar form differs from the Hebrew original.

Synonyms: praises, exclamations, acclamations