Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem: "Festival of Lights" is the common English name for Hanukkah, an eight-day Jewish festival that celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BCE. It is marked by the lighting of a nine-branched candelabrum called a menorah.

Examples of Usage

• Proper noun:
  • Our family gathers each year to celebrate the Festival of Lights.
  • The story of the miracle of the oil is central to the Festival of Lights.

Advanced Usage

• "during the Festival of Lights": referring to the time period of the holiday.
  • Many traditional foods are eaten during the Festival of Lights.
• "the meaning of the Festival of Lights": discussing the historical or religious significance.
  • The rabbi explained the meaning of the Festival of Lights to the children.

Variants and Related Words

• Hanukkah (n): The more common name for the same holiday.
  • Hanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar.
• Chanukah (n): A common alternative transliteration of Hanukkah.
• Menorah (n): The nine-branched candelabrum lit during the festival.
  • One candle on the menorah is lit each night of the festival.

Synonyms

• Hanukkah: The direct synonym for Festival of Lights.
• Feast of Dedication: Another historical name for the holiday, emphasizing the rededication of the Temple.

Related Phrases

• "light the menorah": the central ritual act of the holiday.
  • Every evening, we light the menorah to observe the Festival of Lights.
• "eight nights of": a phrase describing the holiday's duration.
  • The Festival of Lights is celebrated for eight nights.

Related Idioms

• "A great miracle happened there": A phrase associated with the holiday, often found on a dreidel (a spinning top game).
  • The dreidel used during the Festival of Lights bears the Hebrew letters for the phrase "A great miracle happened there."

Noun

1. (Judaism) an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 BC