hall
hawl
Hall (noun) means a passage or corridor inside a building. Example: “Please leave your muddy boots in the hall by the front door.”
noun
1
A passage or corridor inside a building.
"Please leave your muddy boots in the hall by the front door."
"The children ran noisily down the hall towards the classroom."
"Her office is at the end of the hall."
2
A large room used for meetings, events, or gatherings.
"The choir rehearses every Thursday evening in the village hall."
"The wedding reception was held in the town hall."
"Students filled the assembly hall for the ceremony."
3
A large house, especially a historic manor.
"The family lived at the Hall for generations before selling it."
"Tourists can visit the old hall and wander through its gardens at weekends."
"The estate is known locally simply as "the Hall.""
How to use hall
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the corridor in a building or a big room/building used for gatherings.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
town hall
dining hall
down the hall
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Word forms
- Plural
- halls
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Please leave your muddy boots in the _____ by the front door.
Etymology
From Old English heall, an ancient word for a large room or dwelling, related to German Halle and Dutch hal.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for hall
See all rhymes for hall →Frequently asked questions
What does “hall” mean?
The word “hall” means a passage or corridor inside a building. In plain terms, either the corridor in a building or a big room/building used for gatherings.
How do you pronounce “hall”?
“Hall” is pronounced hawl (/hɔːl/ in IPA).
How do you use “hall” in a sentence?
Here is “hall” used in a sentence: “Her office is at the end of the hall.”
What part of speech is “hall”?
“Hall” is a noun.
Where does the word “hall” come from?
The word “hall” comes from Old English. From Old English heall, an ancient word for a large room or dwelling, related to German Halle and Dutch hal.
Is “hall” a common word?
“Hall” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “hall” have?
“Hall” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a passage or corridor inside a building.
What is the difference between a hall and a hallway?
Both refer to a passage or corridor inside a building, and in everyday use they overlap. "Hallway" is more common in American English and always means that connecting passage. "Hall" can mean the same thing, but it may also refer to a large room used for gatherings, so context decides the sense.
Does 'hall' always mean a corridor?
No. Besides a passage connecting rooms, "hall" can mean a large room or building used for meetings, meals, or events, as in town hall, dining hall, or concert hall. The corridor sense is the everyday one in homes, while the large-room sense appears in public and formal settings.
What is the difference between a hall and a foyer?
A foyer is specifically the entrance area just inside a building's main doors, where people arrive, wait, or gather. A hall is the broader passage or corridor linking rooms throughout the building. A foyer can be a kind of entrance hall, but not every hall serves as a foyer.
What is an example of a hall?
The narrow space you step into after opening your front door, linking the rooms of a house, is a hall. In larger buildings, the corridors running between offices or classrooms are also halls, guiding people from one area to the next along the length of the building.
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