Meanings
hail1
plural hails
- uncountableclimatologyBalls or pieces of ice falling as precipitation, often in connection with a thunderstorm.
- countableclimatologyAn occurrence of this type of precipitation; a hailstorm.
- broadlycountableA rapid, intense barrage by a large number of projectiles or other objects.
Their lack of good intelligence also meant that they vastly overestimated the size of their foes for far too long, hails of armor-piercing shells doing comparatively little damage compared to the high explosive that they should have been using.
2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 40:01 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2022Synonyms: downpouring
hail2
present singular third person hails · participle present hailing · participle past hailed · past hailed
- impersonalTo have hailstones fall from the sky.
They say it's going to hail tomorrow.
- To pour down in rapid succession.
hail3
present singular third person hails · participle present hailing · participle past hailed · past hailed
- transitiveTo greet; give salutation to; salute.
[…] Farewel happy Fields / Where Joy for ever dwells: Hail horrours, hail / Infernal world, and thou profoundeſt Hell / Receive they new Poſſeſſor: […]
1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 249–252 - transitiveTo name; to designate; to call.
He was hailed as a hero.
1 more example
Such a Son as all men hail'd me happy;
1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 28 - transitiveTo call out loudly in order to gain the attention of.
Hail a taxi.
1 more example
'Cause I've got one hand in my pocket / And the other one is hailin' a taxi cab
1995, Alanis Morissette, “Hand In My Pocket”, in Jagged Little Pill- AustraliaUKbroadlytransitiveTo indicate, from a designated stop or otherwise, to the driver of a public transport vehicle that one wishes to board and travel on the vehicle, usually using hand signals such as waving.
In Melbourne, you would usually have to hail a tram when you are travelling late at night and there are no other passengers waiting at your stop.
- transitiveTo signal in order to initiate communication with.
- transitiveIn the game of uppies and downies, to throw (the ball) repeatedly up and down at the goal location, in order to score a point.
- fromto originate (from), be native (to) or be based (in)
- archaicpoeticAn exclamation of respectful or reverent salutation, or, occasionally, of familiar greeting.
Hail, brave friend.
c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]1 more example
Hail (Hail) / What's the matter with your head? Yeah / Hail (Hail) / What's the matter with your mind / And your sign and-a, oh-oh-oh / Hail (Hail) / Nothing the matter with your head, baby, find it / Come on and find it / Hail
1974 January 28, Lolly Vegas, “Come and Get Your Love”, in Wovoka, performed by Redbone, track 6
Hail4
- A province of Saudi Arabia
- A city in Hail, Saudi Arabia
Hail5
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA rapid, intense barrage by a large number of projectiles or other objects.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
hail · noun
- Proto-Indo-European*kagʰlos“pebble”
- Proto-Germanic*haglaz
- Proto-West Germanic*hagl
- Old Englishhæġl
- Middle Englishhayl
- Englishhail
From Middle English hayl, haul, from Old English hæġl, hæġel, hagol (“hail”), from Proto-West Germanic *hagl, from Proto-Germanic *haglaz, of uncertain origin. Either from Proto-Indo-European *kagʰlos (“pebble”); or alternatively from *ḱoḱló-, a reduplication of *ḱel- (“cold”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Hail (“hail”), West Frisian heil (“hail”), Low German Hagel (“hail”), German Hagel (“hail”), Dutch and Swedish hagel (“hail”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Icelandic hagl (“hail”). Compare also Old Norse héla (“frost”). Doublet of haglaz, if the second etymology (“cold”) is correct. Root-cognates outside of Germanic include Ancient Greek κάχληξ (kákhlēx, “pebble”), or alternatively Sanskrit शिशिर (śíśira, “cool, cold”), possibly also Lithuanian šešėlis (“shade, shadow”), depending on the etymology.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →hail · verb
- Proto-Germanic*haglōną“to hail”
- Proto-West Germanic*haglōn
- Old Englishhagolian
- Middle Englishhaylen
- Englishhail
From Middle English haylen, haulien, hawelien, from Old English hagolian, hagalian (“to hail”), from Proto-West Germanic *haglōn, from Proto-Germanic *haglōną (“to hail”), from the noun (see above). Cognate with Saterland Frisian hailje (“to hail”), West Frisian heilje (“to hail”), Dutch hagelen (“to hail”), German Low German hageln (“to hail”), German hageln (“to hail”), Danish hagle (“to hail”), Swedish hagla (“to hail”), Norwegian Nynorsk hagle, hagla (“to hail”), Faroese hegla (“to hail”), Icelandic hagla (“to hail”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →hail · adjective, verb, interjection, noun
- Proto-Indo-European*kéh₂ilos
- Proto-Germanic*hailaz
- Old Norseheil
- Middle Englishheyl
- Englishhail
From Middle English heyl (“healthy, sound”), from Old Norse heill, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“whole, entire, healthy”). The verb is from Middle English heilen, itself from the adjective. Doublet of whole, hale, and heil.
More words from Middle English, Old Norse, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans hael
- haelballs of ice
Ancient Greek χάλαζα, χαλαζάω
- χάλαζα (khálaza)balls of ice
- χαλαζάω (khalazáō)to fall from the sky, of hail
- χαῖρε (khaîre)greeting!
- χαίρετε (khaírete)greeting!
Arabic بَرَد, مطر تلج
- بَرَد (barad)balls of ice
- مطر تلج (máṭar talg)balls of ice
- بَرَد (barad)balls of ice
- برد (barad)balls of ice
- السلام عليكgreeting!
- السلام عليكمgreeting!
Basque kazkabar, txingor
- kazkabarballs of ice
- txingorballs of ice
Bengali শিলাবৃষ্টি
- শিলাবৃষ্টি (śilabriśṭi)balls of ice
Bulgarian граду́шка, вали град
- граду́шка (gradúška)balls of ice
- вали градto fall from the sky, of hail
- поздравявам (pozdravjavam)to greet
- приветствам (privetstvam)to greet
- наричам (naričam)to name, to designate (as someone/something)
Catalan calamarsa, calabruix
- calamarsaballs of ice
- calabruixballs of ice
- calamarsejarto fall from the sky, of hail
- granissarto fall from the sky, of hail
- pedregarto fall from the sky, of hail
- calabruixarto fall from the sky, of hail
- saludarto greet
Chinese лынзы, 雹
- лынзы (lɨnzɨ)balls of ice
- 雹 (pha̍uh)balls of ice
- 落雹 (lo̍h-pha̍uh)to fall from the sky, of hail
- 叫 (kiò)to greet
Chinese Cantonese 雹, 冰雹
- 雹 (bok⁶)balls of ice
- 冰雹 (bing¹ bok⁶)balls of ice
- 雪珠 (syut³ zyu¹)balls of ice
- 落雹 (lok⁶ bok⁶)to fall from the sky, of hail
- 叫 (giu³)to greet
- 萬歲 /万岁 (maan⁶ seoi³)greeting!
Chinese Mandarin 冰雹, 雹子
- 冰雹 (bīngbáo)balls of ice
- 雹子 (báozi)balls of ice
- 雹 (báo)balls of ice
- 下雹 (xiàbáo)to fall from the sky, of hail
- 下冰雹 (xià bīngbáo)to fall from the sky, of hail
- 下雹子 (xià báozi)to fall from the sky, of hail
- 萬歲 /万岁 (wànsuì)greeting!
Czech kroupy, krupobití
- kroupyballs of ice
- krupobitíballs of ice
- padat kroupyto fall from the sky, of hail
- pozdravitto greet
- zdravitto greet
- zavolat na pozdravto greet
- provolat slávuto name, to designate (as someone/something)
- oslavovatto name, to designate (as someone/something)
- zamávatto signal in order to initiate communication with
- pocházetto originate
- zavolatto call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
Danish hagl, hagle
- haglballs of ice
- hagleto fall from the sky, of hail
- hilseto greet
- hilgreeting!
Dari ژَالَه
- ژَالَه (žāla)balls of ice
Dutch hagel, hagelen
- hagelballs of ice
- hagelento fall from the sky, of hail
- begroetento greet
- saluutgreeting!
- gegroetgreeting!
Esperanto hajlo, hajli
- hajloballs of ice
- hajlito fall from the sky, of hail
- salutito greet
Estonian rahe
- raheballs of ice
Finnish rakeet, raesade
- rakeetballs of ice
- raesadeballs of ice
- sataa rakeitato fall from the sky, of hail
- tervehtiäto greet
- nimittääto name, to designate (as someone/something)
- kutsuato name, to designate (as someone/something)
- olla peräisinto originate
- kutsuato call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- tervehdin teitägreeting!
French grêle, grêlons
- grêleballs of ice
- grêlonsballs of ice
- grêlerto fall from the sky, of hail
- saluerto greet
- hélerto call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
German Hagel, Graupel
- Hagelballs of ice
- Graupelballs of ice
- hagelnto fall from the sky, of hail
- graupelnto fall from the sky, of hail
- hagelnto pour down in rapid succession
- grüßento greet
- feiern alsto name, to designate (as someone/something)
- rufento call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
Greek χαλάζι, πέφτει χαλάζι
- χαλάζι (chalázi)balls of ice
- πέφτει χαλάζι (péftei chalázi)to fall from the sky, of hail
- χαιρετώ (chairetó)to greet
- προσφωνώ (prosfonó)to name, to designate (as someone/something)
- καλώ (kaló)to call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- φωνάζω (fonázo)to call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
Hebrew בָּרָד, בָּרָד
- בָּרָד (barád)balls of ice
- בָּרָד (barád)to fall from the sky, of hail
Hindi ओला, ओलावृष्टि
- ओला (olā)balls of ice
- ओलावृष्टि (olāvŕṣṭi)balls of ice
- जय (jay)greeting!
Hungarian jégverés, jégeső
- jégverésballs of ice
- jégesőballs of ice
- jégeső esikto fall from the sky, of hail
- záporozikto pour down in rapid succession
- üdvözölto greet
- köszöntto greet
- nevezto name, to designate (as someone/something)
- leintto signal in order to initiate communication with
- hívto signal in order to initiate communication with
- odahívto signal in order to initiate communication with
- jelezto signal in order to initiate communication with
- kiáltto call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- odakiáltto call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- rikkantto call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- odaszólto call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- üdvöz légy!greeting!
- üdv (neked/néked)greeting!
Icelandic hagl, heilsa
- haglballs of ice
- heilsato greet
Indonesian hujan es, hujan batu
- hujan esballs of ice
- hujan batuballs of ice
Iranian Persian تَگَرْگ
- تَگَرْگ (tagarg)balls of ice
Irish cloichshneachta, cuir cloichshneachta
- cloichshneachtaballs of ice
- cuir cloichshneachtato fall from the sky, of hail
- is é do bheathagreeting!
- go mbeannaítear duitgreeting!
Italian grandine, grandinare
- grandineballs of ice
- grandinareto fall from the sky, of hail
- salutareto greet
- chiamareto call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- avegreeting!
Japanese 霰, 雹
- 霰 (arare)balls of ice
- 雹 (hyō)balls of ice
- 霰が降る (arare ga furu)to fall from the sky, of hail
- 雹が降る (hyō ga furu)to fall from the sky, of hail
- 万歳 (banzai)greeting!
Korean 우박
- 우박 (ubak)balls of ice
Latin grandō, grandinat
- grandōballs of ice
- grandinatto fall from the sky, of hail
- salutoto greet
- consalutoto name, to designate (as someone/something)
- avegreeting!
- avetegreeting!
- salvegreeting!
Latvian krusa
- krusaballs of ice
Lithuanian kruša
- krušaballs of ice
Malay hujan batu
- hujan batuballs of ice
Māori uawhatu, uaāwhatu
- uawhatuballs of ice
- uaāwhatuballs of ice
- ua-ā-whatuballs of ice
- ua ngangaballs of ice
- ngangaballs of ice
- hukākapuballs of ice
- hukātaraballs of ice
- hukāwhatuballs of ice
Norwegian hagle
- hagleto fall from the sky, of hail
Norwegian Bokmål hagl
- haglballs of ice
Polish grad, grad pada
- gradballs of ice
- grad padato fall from the sky, of hail
Portuguese granizo, saraiva
- granizoballs of ice
- saraivaballs of ice
- granizarto fall from the sky, of hail
- saudarto greet
- designarto name, to designate (as someone/something)
- avegreeting!
Romanian grindină, grindina
- grindinăballs of ice
- grindinato fall from the sky, of hail
- cădea grindinăto fall from the sky, of hail
- ploua cu grindinăto fall from the sky, of hail
- salutato greet
Russian град, град идёт
- град (grad)balls of ice
- град идёт (grad idjót)to fall from the sky, of hail
- приве́тствовать (privétstvovatʹ)to greet
- оклика́ть (oklikátʹ)to call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
Scottish Gaelic clach-mheallain, fàilte
- clach-mheallainballs of ice
- fàiltegreeting!
Slovak krúpa
- krúpaballs of ice
Spanish granizo, pedrisco
- granizoballs of ice
- pedriscoballs of ice
- cascarrinaballs of ice
- pedrisqueroballs of ice
- granizarto fall from the sky, of hail
- cascarrinarto fall from the sky, of hail
- saludarto greet
- llamarto call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- señalarto call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- avegreeting!
Swahili mvua ya mawe
- mvua ya maweballs of ice
Swedish hagel, hagla
- hagelballs of ice
- haglato fall from the sky, of hail
- hellto greet
- hellgreeting!
Tagalog graniso, bati
- granisoballs of ice
- batito greet
- saludoto greet
- pugayto greet
- tawagto name, to designate (as someone/something)
- tawagto call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- mabuhaygreeting!
- abagreeting!
Thai เห็บ, เรียก
- เห็บ (hèp)balls of ice
- เรียก (rîiak)to call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
Turkish dolu, dolu yağmak
- doluballs of ice
- dolu yağmakto fall from the sky, of hail
Ukrainian град
- град (hrad)balls of ice
Urdu ژالَہ
- ژالَہ (źāla)balls of ice
Vietnamese mưa đá, gọi
- mưa đáballs of ice
- gọito call out loudly in order to gain the attention of
- hoan hôgreeting!
- hoan nghênhgreeting!
- chàogreeting!
Welsh cesair, cenllysg
- cesairballs of ice
- cenllysgballs of ice
- bwrw cesairto fall from the sky, of hail
- bwrw cenllysgto fall from the sky, of hail
Yiddish האָגל
- האָגל (hogl)balls of ice
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with hail
Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
hail. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hail
“hail.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hail. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hail,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hail.
Source: hail on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.