hallelujah (English)

Where does "hallelujah" come from?

The English exclamation 'hallelujah' is a direct borrowing from the Hebrew 'הַלְלוּיָהּ'[1]. This term translates literally as 'Praise Yah'[1]. It is constructed from the Hebrew component 'הַלְּלוּ' meaning 'praise' combined with 'יָהּ' which refers to 'the Lord' or 'Jah'[2].

Full etymology tree

• hallelujah (English), 'An exclamation used in songs of praise or thanksgiving to God.'
  • inherited הללויה (hal'luyáh) (Hebrew), 'praise the Lord'
    • compound הללו (hal'lú) (Hebrew), 'Masculine plural imperative of הילל / הִלֵּל.'
    • compound יה (yah) (Hebrew), 'Jah, one of the names of God and a common theophoric element in Hebrew names.'

Descendants and derived words

• hallelujah lass (English)

Sources

1. hallelujah (English) - Wiktionary
2. הללויה (hal'luyáh) (Hebrew) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris