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→Etymology: wikilink Shakespeare
"Hallow" means saint. All Saints' Day, November 1, was formally called "Hallowmas" or "All Hallows." "Eve" means the day before. "Hallows' Eve," which became "Hallowe'en" in Scottish usage, is therefore the day before All Saints' Day, i.e. October 31.
"Hallow" means saint. All Saints' Day, November 1, was formally called "Hallowmas" or "All Hallows." "Eve" means the day before. "Hallows' Eve," which became "Hallowe'en" in Scottish usage, is therefore the day before All Saints' Day, i.e. October 31.
The earliest mention of Halloween in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' is a 1556 entry in ''Chronicle of Greyfriars''. This entry spells the word as "Halhalon evyn." <ref>''[https://www.british-history.ac.uk/camden-record-soc/vol53/pp15-21 Chronicle of Greyfriars]'' (1556) 17 “Thys yere the towne of Depe was tane [taken] by the Armenobis [Armeniacs] on Halhalon evyn.”</ref> In ''Measure for Measure'' (1603) by William Shakespeare, Pompey asks Froth if another character died on "Hallowmas." Froth responds "All-hallond eve," meaning that the character died on the day before All Saints' Day.<ref>Shakespeare, William, ''[http://shakespeare.mit.edu/measure/full.html Measure for Measure]'' (1603), ii. i. 130.</ref>
The earliest mention of Halloween in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' is a 1556 entry in ''Chronicle of Greyfriars''. This entry spells the word as "Halhalon evyn." <ref>''[https://www.british-history.ac.uk/camden-record-soc/vol53/pp15-21 Chronicle of Greyfriars]'' (1556) 17 “Thys yere the towne of Depe was tane [taken] by the Armenobis [Armeniacs] on Halhalon evyn.”</ref> In ''Measure for Measure'' (1603) by [[William Shakespeare]], Pompey asks Froth if another character died on "Hallowmas." Froth responds "All-hallond eve," meaning that the character died on the day before All Saints' Day.<ref>Shakespeare, William, ''[http://shakespeare.mit.edu/measure/full.html Measure for Measure]'' (1603), ii. i. 130.</ref>
As the word is used to indicate a date rather than a festival in both of these examples, it is likely that the festival was not known in England at this time.
As the word is used to indicate a date rather than a festival in both of these examples, it is likely that the festival was not known in England at this time.