Halal

How to spell halal

5 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce halal

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does halal mean?

1. adjectivePermitted under Islamic law, especially of food prepared according to its requirements.
2. nounFood that is permissible to eat under Islamic law.

Halal in a sentence

• adjective

  The restaurant serves only halal meat that meets religious standards.

• noun

  The caterer offered both halal and vegetarian dishes for the wedding.

• adjective

  She checked the label to confirm the chicken was certified halal.

• noun

  Many guests requested halal at the conference dinner.

Where does halal come from?

Language of origin: Arabic

This word comes directly from the Arabic halal, which literally means 'permitted' or 'lawful'. In Islamic law it marks anything that is allowed, and it stands in deliberate contrast to haram, meaning 'forbidden'; the two terms are routinely paired. English speakers most often meet halal in connection with food and the way animals are slaughtered according to religious rules, but in Arabic the term ranges far wider than diet and covers conduct of every kind. The word entered English in the nineteenth century as contact with Muslim communities grew, and it has become familiar on shop signs and menus across Britain, North America, and beyond. Because it is a transliteration of Arabic, the spelling keeps a single 'l' in the middle and a single 'l' at the end, which is the small trap for writers who expect a doubled consonant.

How the word is built

• halal (Arabic: permitted, lawful), used in English as an unanalysed loanword