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

The American Jewish community responded to the Yom Kippur War, which killed nearly three thousand Israeli soldiers, by flooding Israel with donations; doctors and students volunteered to join the war effort. —Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026

In October 2025, an attacker drove his car into people gathered outside a Manchester synagogue to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur and stabbed one person to death. —Krutika Pathi, Arkansas Online, 24 Mar. 2026

In October 2025, an attacker drove his car into people gathered outside a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur and stabbed one person to death. —ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026

In October 2025, an attacker drove his car into people gathered outside a Manchester synagogue on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur and stabbed one person to death. —CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026

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