Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Rosh Hodesh

noun
Rosh Ho·​desh
variants: or Rosh Chodesh

Definition of Rosh Hodesh

: the beginning of each month in the Jewish calendar marked by a special liturgy

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

First Known Use of Rosh Hodesh

1766, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for Rosh Hodesh

Hebrew rōsh ḥōdhesh, literally, beginning of the new moon

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about Rosh Hodesh

Share Rosh Hodesh

Statistics for Rosh Hodesh

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for Rosh Hodesh

The first known use of Rosh Hodesh was in 1766

See more words from the same year

Comments on Rosh Hodesh

What made you want to look up Rosh Hodesh? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

teetotaler

someone who never drinks alcohol

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Homophone Quiz

  • three-bears-two-of-them-look-like-theyre-whispering-to-a-third-bear-who-looks-chuffed-to-be-the-center-of-attention
  • In order to judge how people felt, the senator's office hired a firm to take a ______.
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games