all hail

Meanings

1. Used as a friendly or respectful salutation to acclaim, greet, or welcome someone: (I wish you) all health or good fortune!
2. Chiefly followed by to (someone or something): used as a salutation to indicate that someone or something is respected or welcome.

1. A salutation of "all hail" (interjection interjection sense 1); hence, a salutation indicating respect or welcome.

Etymology

The interjection is derived from Middle English al-heil, al heyl (“used as a salutation when meeting someone: your health!, hello!”), from al (“denoting totality”) + heil, heyl (“health, welfare; good fortune”, noun): * Al is derived from Old English eall, from Proto-West Germanic *all (“all”), from Proto-Germanic *allaz (“all; entire, whole”); further etymology uncertain, possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- (“beyond; other”). * Heil is from Old Norse heill (“hale, healthy; whole”, adjective), from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“hale, healthy; entire, whole”), from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilos (“healthy; whole”)). The noun is derived from the interjection.