English
Hallowmas
Hallowmas comes from English mass ‘All-saints' mass’, and goes back to Old English ealra hālgena mæsse.
- Old Englishc. 450–1150ealra hālgena mæsseliterally ‘All Saints' mass’
- English1500–presentmass‘All-saints' mass’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1604Hallowmas
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Englishc. 450–1150ealra hālgena mæsseliterally ‘All Saints' mass’
- English1500–presentmass‘All-saints' mass’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1604Hallowmas
Earliest quotation: c. 1603–1604, William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure: “Pompey: And, I beseech you look into Master Froth…”
Formed from hallow ‘saint’ + -mas
Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilos ‘safe, unharmed’
…
Proto-Germanic *hailagô ‘holy one’
Proto-West Germanic *hailagō
Old English hālga ‘a holy one, saint’
Middle English halwe ‘a saint, holy thing, shrine’
English hallow
Every English word from Old English ealra hālgena mæsse
Today it means
noun All Saints Day, November 1
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old English ealra hālgena mæsse / Hallowmas