hollow
- Having an empty space inside, like a tube or a cave.
- Lacking real meaning or sincerity, as in a hollow promise.
In a sentence
- The squirrel stored its nuts inside a hollow log at the edge of the forest.
- His apology felt hollow because he kept making the same mistake.
Usage note. When used figuratively ('hollow victory,' 'hollow words'), 'hollow' implies something looks real on the outside but has no value or feeling inside.
Where it comes from
English hollow · entered English pre-12th c.
From Old English 'holh,' meaning a hole or cave, related to 'hol' (hole). It is a Germanic word that developed into the adjective form 'holw' in Middle English and has been in use since before the 12th century.