From OE 'holh,' from PIE *ḱel- (to cover, conceal) — kin to 'hole,' 'hall,' 'hull,' 'hell,' and 'helmet.'
Having a space or cavity inside; not solid; lacking real significance or sincerity.
From Old English 'holh' (a hollow, a hole, a cave, a concavity), from Proto-Germanic *hulaz (hollow, empty inside), from PIE *kel- or *ḱel- (to cover, to conceal, to be hollowed out). The Germanic family is rich: Old English 'hell' (the underworld — the concealed, covered place), 'hull' (the shell or empty case of a ship or a seed), 'hall' (a large covered space), 'helm' (a covering for the head), and 'hole' all share the root. The structural metaphor is of a covering that creates an empty
The words 'hollow,' 'hole,' 'hall,' 'hull,' 'hell,' 'helmet,' and 'conceal' all come from the same PIE root *ḱel- (to cover, to hide). A 'hall' is a covered space, a 'hull' is the covering shell of a ship, 'hell' is the hidden underworld, a 'helmet' covers the head, and to 'conceal' is to cover completely. A 'hollow victory' — one that feels empty despite being won — dates