channukkah
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Proper noun:
- An eight-day Jewish festival: Channukkah is a Jewish holiday that lasts for eight days and nights. It commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE after a small group of Jewish fighters, the Maccabees, reclaimed it from foreign rule. The holiday is also known as the Festival of Lights.
Usage Examples
- Proper noun:
- Our family lights the menorah each night of Channukkah.
- Channukkah usually falls in late November or December on the Gregorian calendar.
- A common tradition during Channukkah is playing with a dreidel.
Advanced Usage
- "the spirit of Channukkah": Refers to the themes of the holiday, such as religious freedom, perseverance, and the miracle of light.
- The community event, with its focus on charity and togetherness, really captured the spirit of Channukkah.
Variants and Related Words
- Hanukkah: The most common alternate spelling in English.
- Chanukah: Another common alternate spelling.
- Festival of Lights: A descriptive name for the holiday.
- Feast of Dedication: Another name referencing the temple rededication.
Synonyms
- Festival of Lights: Descriptive synonym.
- Feast of Dedication: Descriptive synonym.
Related Phrases
- "Happy Channukkah!": A common greeting for the holiday.
- "Channukkah gelt": Refers to money or chocolate coins given as gifts during the holiday.
- "Channukkah menorah": Refers specifically to the nine-branched candelabrum (hanukkiah) lit during the holiday.
Related Idioms
- "A Channukkah miracle": Used to describe a fortunate or unexpected positive event, alluding to the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days.
- Finding a parking spot right in front of the store was a real Channukkah miracle.
Noun
- (Judaism) an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 BC