Halloween is one of the most well-known and beloved costume festivals around the world. Have you ever wondered about the typical English vocabulary used for Halloween? Or asked yourself how to say "costume" in English? In this article, IDP IELTS has compiled a wide range of Halloween vocabulary to help you understand its origin, significance, and festive activities.
1. The Origin of Halloween
Halloween is a famous Western festival celebrated annually on October 31st. In 2024, Halloween falls on Thursday, October 31st.
It originated from ancient Celtic rituals marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The Celts believed that on the night before Samhain, the boundary between the living and the dead became blurred, allowing evil spirits to roam freely. To ward off these spirits, the Celts lit bonfires and dressed in strange costumes.
Though rooted in ancient rituals and Christian influences, Halloween today has become a fun, entertaining festival. Activities include dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating, throwing parties, and watching horror movies. Pumpkins carved into glowing lanterns, spooky costumes, and children's laughter as they collect candy have become iconic symbols of Halloween worldwide.
2. Halloween Vocabulary in English
Halloween-Themed Objects
Word / Phrase | Meaning | Example |
Pumpkin | A large orange vegetable | She made pumpkin soup in a black cauldron for Halloween. |
Jack-o-lantern | A carved pumpkin with a face | The Jack-o-lantern custom probably comes from Irish folklore. |
Skull | Human skull | A skull-shaped asteroid flew by the Earth on Halloween. |
Haunted house | A house believed to be haunted | The haunted house on the hill brooded above the village. |
Scarecrow | A human-shaped figure to scare birds | The scarecrow symbolizes all the bad things of the last year. |
Broomstick | A witch’s flying broom | An hour later, a broomstick settled gently on the lawn. |
Spider web | A web made by spiders | You bleed a little bit or run across a spider web. |
Costumes | Dress-up clothes | Many of them wore colorful national costumes. |
Candy bag | A bag used to collect candy | James brings his favorite candy bar to school in his book bag. |
Ghost coffin | Coffin-shaped Halloween decor | The ghost coffin lid "Spooky" is the ideal Halloween decoration to hang. |
Halloween Costume Characters
Word / Phrase | Meaning | Example |
Alien | Extra-terrestrial being | Jim is an alien in this film. |
Zombie | Reanimated corpse | Without sleep you will become a zombie at work. |
Skeleton | Human bones | We found an old sheep skeleton up on the cliffs. |
Vampire | Blood-sucking creature | She looked every inch a vampire in her costume. |
Frankenstein | A monster from fiction | The movie is a reworking of the Frankenstein story. |
Grim reaper | Angel of death | Would you like to know when the Grim Reaper will come and get you? |
Boogeyman | Scary fictional creature | Who believes in the Boogeyman? |
Corpse | Dead human body | The corpse is at the bottom of the slope. |
Superhero | Fictional character with powers | They played like superheroes for an hour. |
Troll | A mythical creature | Three Blind Mice is a well-known troll. |
Emotions and Reactions
Word / Phrase | Meaning | Example |
Afraid | Feeling fear | I want someone afraid of losing me. |
Freaky | Strange, bizarre | The movie was kind of freaky. |
Creepy | Scary or uncomfortable | It's kind of creepy down in the cellar! |
Frightened | Scared | He was frightened at the sight of the dog. |
Eerie | Strange and scary | He had the eerie sensation of being watched. |
Trembling | Shaking with fear | My legs were trembling with fear. |
Heart-pounding | Intense fear | I woke up with my heart pounding many times. |
Screaming | Yelling in fear | He covered her mouth to stop her from screaming. |
Petrified | Extremely scared | I've always been petrified of being alone. |
Halloween Activities
Activity | Meaning |
Trick or treat | Asking for candy in costume |
Pumpkin bowling | Rolling pumpkins like bowling balls |
Pumpkin golf | Hitting golf balls into pumpkins |
Carving pumpkins | Creating faces in pumpkins |
Apple bobbing | Catching apples with your mouth |
Watch horror movies | Watching scary films |
Costume party | A party where guests wear costumes |
Visit a haunted house | Exploring a spooky decorated house |
Halloween Foods and Treats
Word / Phrase | Meaning |
Pumpkin soup | Soup made from pumpkin |
Candy apple | Apple covered in sugar coating |
Boxty pancakes | Mashed potato pancakes |
Colcannon | Mashed potatoes with greens |
Eyeball jelly pops | Lollipops shaped like eyeballs |
Caramel apples | Apples coated with caramel |
Pumpkin bread | Bread flavored with pumpkin |
Magic potion | A magical or imaginary drink |
Witch's brew | Colorful, spooky Halloween drink |
Bloody Mary | Red cocktail drink |
Gummy worms | Worm-shaped chewy candy |
3. Fun Halloween Greetings
Halloween is a fun and exciting time to send creative and humorous messages to friends and family. Here are some festive wishes you can use:
Wishing you a night full of frights and a bag full of delights. Happy Halloween!
I wave my wand and put on my cape and wish you lots of treats coming your way. Happy Halloween!
Tonight, I am wishing you an unforgettable Halloween adventure filled with creepy memories and deadly encounters.
I wish you a happy Halloween filled with loads of great adventures!
Yarrrgh! Ye be a mighty fine pirate this Halloween…be sure to scour for plenty o plunder!
Happy Halloween! Enjoy all the fun festivities and get your scary costume ready. Save some candy for us!
This Halloween it's okay to be the devil, okay to have a tattoo, okay to be an angel, and okay to trick or treat too.
4. Using Halloween Vocabulary in IELTS Speaking – Festival Topic
IELTS Speaking Part 1
Question: What do you usually do on Halloween?
Answer: Truth be told, this holiday is not traditional in my country, so there is nothing particularly special. However, my friends and I sometimes go to a pub decorated with a Halloween theme. I am a party animal, so it's a great chance to enjoy the festive spirit.
Vocabulary highlights:
Truth be told
Spoil someone
Party animal
IELTS Speaking Part 2
Cue Card: Describe a non-traditional holiday in your country
Sample Answer:
I would like to talk about Halloween, which happens on October 31st. It is very popular in Western countries, but in recent years it has been gaining popularity in Asian countries like Vietnam. Many Vietnamese people now celebrate Halloween.
I read that over 2000 years ago, people believed evil spirits crossed into the world of the living on this night. To protect themselves, they wore handmade masks and scary costumes to disguise themselves from spirits.
Today, we dress up in scary costumes and decorate our homes with things like jack-o-lanterns, skulls, and skeletons. Last Halloween, my roommates and I stayed home, watched horror movies, and told scary stories. I was so frightened that I didn’t even want to go to the bathroom. Still, we had a great time.
This year, I might go out instead. Maybe I’ll attend a costume party or visit a haunted house. Honestly, I’m not sure yet.
Vocabulary highlights:
Gaining popularity
Boundaries between the living and the dead
Handmade masks
Disguise themselves from spirits
Dress up in scary costumes
Watch horror movies
Visit haunted houses
5. Halloween Vocabulary List
5.1 General Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Meaning |
Skyrocket | Rise rapidly |
Magnetism | Attractiveness |
Charismatic | Highly charming |
Entrepreneur | Business founder |
Influential | Having impact |
Achievements | Accomplishments |
Adaptability | Flexibility in change |
Permeate | Spread widely |
Relentless | Never stopping |
5.2 Collocations and Idioms
Collocation / Idiom | Meaning |
Make quite a splash | Become popular suddenly |
Carve a reputation as | Build a strong reputation |
Branch out into | Expand into other areas |
Catch sight of | Suddenly notice |
Start from scratch | Begin again |
Bootstrap a business | Start a business with little capital |
Make a name for oneself | Build personal recognition |
Bounce back | Recover from failure |
Hit the big time | Achieve major success |
Master Halloween Vocabulary and Boost Your IELTS Score
Halloween is a colorful and exciting celebration full of unique English vocabulary. From glowing pumpkins to delicious candy, we hope the vocabulary provided above helps you communicate confidently in English this Halloween season.
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