Yom Kippur

noun

Yom Kip·​pur ˌyōm-ki-ˈpu̇r 

ˌyȯm-,

ˌyäm- 

-ˈki-pər,

-(ˌ)pu̇r

: a Jewish holiday observed with fasting and prayer on the 10th day of Tishri in accordance with the rites described in Leviticus 16

called also Day of Atonement

Examples of Yom Kippur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

New reflections Image David has continued to see Mr. Wright, 64, appearing with him at a Yom Kippur event in Santa Monica, Calif., not long after Ted died. —Serge F. Kovaleski, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025

The 1973 Arab-Israeli War is also known as the Yom Kippur War and the October War, among other names. —Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025

Moreover, David Kotok, co-founder of Cumberland Advisors, warned the Trump tariffs will act as a massive supply shock akin to the 1973-1974 oil price shock during the Yom Kippur War. —Matt Egan, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025

He was born at the end of September, 1973, a week before the start of the Yom Kippur War. —David Bezmozgis, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew yōm kippūr, literally, day of atonement

First Known Use

1735, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Yom Kippur

• chipper
• clipper
• dipper
• flipper
• gripper
• kipper
• nipper
• ripper
• shipper
• skipper
• slipper
• stripper

Kids Definition

Yom Kippur

noun

Yom Kip·​pur ˌyōm-ki-ˈpu̇r  ˌyȯm- 

ˌyäm-,

-ˈkip-ər

: a Jewish holiday observed in September or October with fasting and prayer as ways of making up for sins