hallel means A hymn of praise chanted during the Passover supper, consisting of Psalms cxiii to cxviii. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 86 out of 100.
Why “hallel” is a great word
HALLEL — [Noun] A fixed liturgical sequence of Psalms 113–118, recited verbatim as a hymn of praise during major Jewish festivals. From Hebrew הַלֵּל (halél, 'praise'), from the root h-l-l, meaning 'to praise, to shine, to boast'. Unlike a 'psalm' (a single sacred song from the biblical collection) or a 'hymn' (a composed song of worship with variable lyrics), Hallel is a prescribed, scriptural unit that structures ritual joy. It is the collective voice rising at the Passover Seder, the ancient cadence pacing the Sukkot procession, and the textual light cast upon the new moon—a chosen echo of praise, asserting gratitude as a deliberate architecture of memory.
Etymology
From Hebrew הַלֵּל (halél).
noun
- A hymn of praise chanted during the Passover supper, consisting of Psalms cxiii to cxviii.