Halloween
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What is Halloween? Halloween is a holiday on October 31 that’s essentially a celebration of spooky and scary stuff, like ghosts, witches, monsters, and haunted houses. It’s traditionally celebrated by dressing in costumes, decorating with things like jack-o’-lanterns (carved pumpkins) and fake spiderwebs, and trick or treating—going door to door to collect candy or other treats from people who are giving it out. The trick part of trick or treat is a reference to the pranks that kids sometimes play on Halloween. Halloween is especially celebrated by children, but teens and adults commonly celebrate it, too, such as by having parties (often costume parties), watching scary movies, giving out candy to kids, eating some of that candy, and then eating some of the candy that kids bring home. Halloween is a secular (nonreligious) holiday, but its name has roots in the Christian holiday Allhallows, better known as All Saints’ Day. Another name for Halloween is Allhallows Eve (the night before Allhallows). Halloween is commonly used as a modifier in phrases like Halloween costume, Halloween party, Halloween candy, and Halloween night. Example: Don’t give me this trunk or treat stuff—I want a classic Halloween, with trick or treating and haunted houses and my neighbor disguising himself as a stuffed scarecrow so he can pop up and scare kids when they try to take more than one piece of candy from the bowl.
Etymology
Origin of Halloween
First recorded in 1550–60; (All)hallow(s) + e(v)en 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Halloween there were reports of fireworks lit in the street and some thrown at members of the public in Glasgow, Tranent in East Lothian and Bonnyrigg in Midlothian.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
Dressed in a ball cap, jeans and a Carhartt jacket, he quipped to one attendee that he was going as “the real Dan” for Halloween.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026
A total of 159 members of law enforcement were injured during protests and Halloween celebrations, the ministry said.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
According to ABC7, the patrol car was heading to provide backup at a Halloween house party several miles away on Weddington Street in Sherman Oaks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2026
“Instead, a scary story is in order. It is Halloween, after all. Ella, would you please grab that calling jar from my desk?”
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
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