Halloween

or Hal·low·e'en

[ hal-uh-ween, -oh-een, hol- ]

/ ˌhæl əˈwin, -oʊˈin, ˌhɒl- /

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noun

the evening of October 31; the eve of All Saints' Day; Allhallows Eve: observed especially by children in costumes who solicit treats, often by threatening minor pranks.

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Origin of Halloween

First recorded in 1550–60; (All)hallow(s) + e(v)en²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use Halloween in a sentence

Did the airline file a flight plan that took account of the weather en route from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore?
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“Tu eres como chuleria en pote,” goes the Puerto Rican expression that gave rise to his moniker.
In The Shadow of Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Two hostages died en route to the hospital, while police said they killed gunman Man Haron Monis.
Jihadi Siege in Sydney Ends in Gunfight|Courtney Subramanian, Lennox Samuels, Chris Allbritton|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One hostage died en route, the Journal reported, while the other died on the operating table.
Did U.S. Policy Get Luke Somers Killed?|Shane Harris|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST

They pulled up in unmarked cars and on motorcycles, appearing en masse out of the darkness.
Eric Garner Protests: ‘It’s Like Vietnam’|Abby Haglage, Caitlin Dickson, Jacob Siegel, Chris Allbritton|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was living quite en garçon, with only one man, his house having been let for the season.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
Their Chateau en Espagne seemed invisible, as such chateaux usually are; and where it might be found, who was there to tell?
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
True; but as we are far enough now from that point, we must e'en make the best of the bad.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
Il avoit sa belle robe soubs soy (car c'estoit en est), et se preparoit sa harangue funebre.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
La harangue devoit finir en l'adieu et comploration commune de tous.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various

British Dictionary definitions for Halloween

Halloween

Hallowe'en

/ (ˌhæləʊˈiːn) /

noun

the eve of All Saints' Day celebrated on Oct 31 by masquerading; Allhallows Eve

Word Origin for Halloween

C18: see Allhallows, even ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012