Meaning Of The Word Halloween

The een portion of halloween is a contraction of even a word you might know as eve which means end of the day this is why halloween is sometimes referred to as all hallows eve or all saints eve all hallows eve was used for the first time in the sixteenth century.

Meaning of the word halloween. In scots the word eve is even and this is contracted to e en or een over time all hallow s e v en evolved into hallowe en although the phrase all hallows is found in. Halloween s origins date back to the ancient celtic festival of samhain pronounced sow in. Observed especially by children in costumes who solicit treats often by threatening minor pranks.

Halloween definition the evening of october 31. Hallow is an old english word for holy person and all hallows day is simply another name for all saints day the day catholics commemorate all the saints. The christian meaning of the word is often forgotten and lost in modern celebrations.

The spelling of halloween derives from its earlier name all hallows even or eve which took place the night before all hallows day now known as all saints day. The celts who lived 2 000 years ago mostly in the area that is now ireland the united kingdom and. The word halloween or hallowe en dates to about 1745 and is of christian origin.

The word halloween is a direct derivation of all saints day. O ne obvious question about halloween is what does the word itself mean the name is actually a shortened version of all hallows even the eve of all hallows day. An old name for all saints day is all hallows or allhallows with hallow meaning holy person.

Saint and the night before all hallows even meaning eve. Halloween is a widely celebrated holiday that has ceased to have any religious associations. The word halloween comes from all hallows eve and means hallowed evening hundreds of years ago people dressed up as saints and went door to door which is the origin of halloween costumes and trick or treating.

The history of halloween goes all the way back to a pagan festival called samhain. The eve of all saints day.