dreidel

noun

drei·​del ˈdrā-dᵊl 

variants or less commonly dreidl

1

: a 4-sided toy marked with Hebrew letters and spun like a top in a game of chance

2

: a children's game of chance played especially at Hanukkah with a dreidel

Illustration of dreidel

• dreidel 1

Did you know?

If your dreidel is spinning beneath the glow of the menorah, it’s probably the Jewish festival of lights known as Hanukkah. The holiday celebrates the miracle of a small amount of oil—enough for one day—burning for eight days in the Temple of Jerusalem. And though it’s a toy, the dreidel’s design is very much an homage: on each of its four sides is inscribed a Hebrew letter—nun, gimel, he, and shin—which together stand for Nes gadol haya sham, meaning “A great miracle happened there.” (In Israel, the letter pe, short for po, “here,” is often used instead of shin). In the game of dreidel, each letter bears its own significance: the dreidel is spun and depending on which letter is on top when it lands, the player’s currency, or gelt, is added to or taken from the pot. Nun means the player does nothing; gimel means the player gets everything; he means the player gets half; and shin means the player adds to the pot. Wherever you land on holiday traditions, we wish you words of gimel: gratitude, grub, and, of course, gaiety.

Examples of dreidel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

May your holidays be happy, your stockings stuffed full of buffs, and dreams of sugar plums, reindeer, dreidels, and Survivor Sally knee socks dancing in your head. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 20 Dec. 2023

The mini waffle maker imprints any batter with the outline of a dreidel with four-inch nonstick plates that heat up quickly. —Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 6 Dec. 2023

Grab this pack of 10 dreidels for the kids to play with, which comes with instructions on how to play. —Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023

The oil of old was represented with modern laser lights — there were light tablets, translucent dreidels and light-up balls, neon sticks and light designs projected on the walls. —Elizabeth Dias, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2023

Normally the holiday is about fun for kids, with gifts and dreidel songs. —Elizabeth Dias, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2023

The menorah design is available for all sizes, but kid sizes also have a dreidel print. —Amanda Ogle, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2023

This Hanukkah cat toys set features eight miniature catnip toys, including a mouse, menorah, and dreidel to keep your kitty busy this holiday season. —Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 18 Nov. 2023

Holding a dreidel in one hand, Shepherd is pictured mid-spin as the four candles representing the four nights of Hanukkah glow beside him. —Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 11 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Yiddish dreydl, from dreyen to turn, from Middle High German drǣjen, from Old High German drāen — more at throw entry 1

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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