Hanukkah

noun

Ha·​nuk·​kah ˈhä-nə-kə  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

The former high court judge made her comments ahead of the second day of a second round of public hearings to assess the timeline and circumstances surrounding the December Hanukkah attack in Sydney that left 15 people dead. — Kelly Hartog, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2026

The deadliest so far was the mass slaughter at a Hanukkah party on Sydney’s Bondi Beach in December, but perhaps only luck and good police work have prevented an even worse atrocity on American soil. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026

And in December, his nephew was among those killed in a mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration on a beach in Australia. — Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2026

Last year saw the highest level of deadly violence against Jews worldwide in over three decades, according to an annual study released last month by Tel Aviv University, including the December shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia. — James Pollard, Fortune, 13 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew ḥănukkāh dedication

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Hanukkah

• chronica
• harmonica
• japonica
• veronica

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.