Chanukah

1 of 2

less common spelling of hanukkah

Hanukkah

2 of 2

noun

Ha·​nuk·​kah ˈhä-nə-kə How to pronounce Hanukkah (audio) ˈḵä- How to pronounce Hanukkah (audio)
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 Chanukah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Jewish author and illustrator Shel Silverstein and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg have also been featured on stamps, and the postal service has issued several stamps marking Hanukkah. Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025 The man who fired two shotgun blasts outside an Albany synagogue on the first night of Hanukkah in 2023 was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison. Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2025 Her own parents, however, wanted to alternate holidays, with the exception of their beloved family Hanukkah party. Ashley Vega, People.com, 3 July 2025 There were songs to commemorate Hanukkah and dances to celebrate Diwali. Joshua B. Kulak, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for Chanukah

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Hebrew ḥănukkāh dedication

First Known Use

Noun

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Chanukah was in 1843

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chanukah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Chanukah. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

Chanukah

variant of hanukkah

More from Merriam-Webster on Chanukah

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster