Hanukkah

noun

Ha·​nuk·​kah ˈhä-nə-kə How to pronounce Hanukkah (audio)
ˈḵä-
variants or less commonly Chanukah or Hanukah
: an 8-day Jewish holiday beginning on the 25th of Kislev and commemorating the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem after its defilement by Antiochus of Syria

Examples of Hanukkah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Dreier has traveled the world since then, doing that and more − even playing drums with the U.S. Marine Band at a White House Hanukkah celebration. Phaedra Trethan, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2024 In a Hanukkah message from 2020, Shuly Rubin Schwartz, the chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, embraced the change as a way to acknowledge the daily miracles of life, although most prayer books do not include the additional letter. Ari L. Goldman, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2024 Marking the start of Hanukkah, the ceremony brought pride, hope and traditions to Clubhouse 1. Anita Gosch, Orange County Register, 7 Jan. 2024 History of Hanukkah There’s nothing wrong with getting fancy or staying plain with latkes. Kathleen Purvis, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 On the first night of Hanukkah, hundreds of demonstrators gathered at Columbus Circle, including Ms. Dibner and her friend Lee Schere, also 56. Katherine Rosman Jonah Markowitz, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023 In research on Hanukkah celebrants, Fishbach and another researcher, now a Northwestern University professor, found participants were more likely to light menorah candles on the first and last nights of the eight-day holiday, but were more inclined to skip doing so on the middle nights. Chicago Tribune, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2024 More court trouble:Jan. 6 media streamer 'Baked Alaska' found guilty of damaging Hanukkah display Micajah Joel Jackson A Phoenix military veteran, Micajah Joel Jackson marched alongside Proud Boys who identified themselves as Arizonans by wearing orange armbands. The Arizona Republic, 6 Jan. 2024 Recently, Dreier, played for President Biden at the White House Hanukkah party. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Hanukkah.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew ḥănukkāh dedication

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Hanukkah was in 1843

Dictionary Entries Near Hanukkah

Cite this Entry

“Hanukkah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hanukkah. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Hanukkah

noun
Ha·​nuk·​kah
variants also Chanukah or Hanukah
ˈḵän-ə-kə,
ˈhän-
: an eight-day Jewish holiday celebrated in November or December in honor of the cleansing and second dedication of the Temple after the Syrians were driven out of Jerusalem in 165 b.c.

More from Merriam-Webster on Hanukkah

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