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hallelujah

an exclamation of praise, joy, or relief

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Where does the word "hallelujah" come from? It comes from Hebrew hallelu Yah, passing through Greek and Latin before entering English (medieval).

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Where does the word "hallelujah" come from? It comes from Hebrew hallelu Yah, passing through Greek and Latin before entering English (medieval).

Hallelujah’s story begins in Hebrew: hallelu Yah meant “praise God.” Literally "praise Yahweh". By ancient, the word had taken hold in Greek as allelouia. The Septuagint translators kept the Hebrew praise 'hallelu Yah', praise the Lord. From there it passed into Latin as alleluia by ancient. Carried through Christian liturgy and hymns. It reached English by medieval as hallelujah. Handel's 'Messiah' (1742) made the Hallelujah Chorus famous. Today, hallelujah means an exclamation of praise, joy, or relief.

  1. Stage 1 · Hebrew · ancient hallelu Yah "praise God", literally "praise Yahweh".
  2. Stage 2 · Greek · ancient allelouia "praise God", the Septuagint translators kept the Hebrew praise 'hallelu Yah', praise the Lord.
  3. Stage 3 · Latin · ancient alleluia "praise God", carried through Christian liturgy and hymns.
  4. Stage 4 · English · medieval hallelujah "an exclamation of praise or joy", Handel's 'Messiah' (1742) made the Hallelujah Chorus famous.

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