- hallelujah
- also halleluiah, 1530s, from Heb. hallalu-yah "praise Jehovah," from hallalu, pl. imper. of hallel "to praise" also "song of praise," from hillel "he praised," of imitative origin, with primary sense being "to trill." Second element is yah, shortened form of Yahweh, name of God. Replaced variant formation alleluia (12c.).