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

Two people were killed at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation on Yom Kippur after a man rammed his car into a crowd of people and stabbed others. —Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2026

Perhaps no Yom Kippur War, and so many other wars in the area? —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 4 Jan. 2026

On Yom Kippur, a militant Islamist called Jihad Al-Shamie (in retrospect, the first name was a clue) killed one person and injured others in a stabbing attack on a synagogue in Manchester. —Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025

For Jews, Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur. —Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 Dec. 2025

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