jubilee

1 of 2

noun

ju·​bi·​lee ˈjü-bə-(ˌ)lē 

ˌjü-bə-ˈlē

plural jubilees

1

a

: a special anniversary

especially : a 50th anniversary

b

: a celebration of such an anniversary

2

a

: jubilation

b

: a season of celebration

3

often Jubilee : a year of emancipation and restoration provided by ancient Hebrew law to be kept every 50 years by the emancipation of enslaved Hebrews, restoration of alienated lands to their former owners, and omission of all cultivation of the land

4

a

: a period of time proclaimed by the Roman Catholic pope ordinarily every 25 years as a time of special solemnity

b

: a special plenary indulgence granted during a year of jubilee to Roman Catholics who perform certain specified works of repentance and piety

5

: a religious song of African Americans usually referring to a time of future happiness

jubilee

2 of 2

adjective

often capitalized

: flambé

cherries jubilee

Did you know?

Juneteenth, a holiday observed in the United States on June 19 in commemoration of the end of slavery, has several other names as well, including Juneteenth National Independence Day, Freedom Day, Black Independence Day, and Jubilee Day. The word jubilee here is of special significance; while jubilee is often used generally to refer to an anniversary or celebration of an anniversary, its history is intertwined with the idea of emancipation. According to the biblical book of Leviticus, every fifty years Hebrew slaves were to be set free, lands given back to their former owners, and the fields left unharvested. This year of liberty was announced when a ram’s horn was blown. In Hebrew, that ceremonial horn was called a yōbhēl, and the celebratory year took its name from that of the horn. As the Bible was translated into other languages, the concept of the yōbhēl spread around the world, as did its name (albeit with spelling modifications). It eventually entered English via the Anglo-French word jubilé in the 14th century. Since then, jubilee has not only kept its original, biblical sense, but has gained others, including one referring to a traditional African American spiritual that looks forward to a time of future happiness and deliverance from oppression.

Synonyms

Noun

• carnival
• celebration
• fest
• festival
• festivity
• fete
• fête
• fiesta
• gala

Examples of jubilee in a Sentence

Noun

the town is planning a year-long jubilee in celebration of its founding 200 years ago

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Ladies chorus seeking new members The Lake County Ladies Chorus, which recently celebrated its platinum jubilee, welcomes new members and will begin practicing for its upcoming concert season at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 5 at GraceWay Church, corner of Radio Road and Morningside Drive, Leesburg. —Orlando Sentinel Staff, Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2024

The occasion is a slightly random jubilee: the two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of Friedrich’s birth. —Zachary Fine, The New Yorker, 28 June 2024

Every February, Napier celebrates its unique architectural heritage with a three-day jubilee. —Pauline O'Connor, Robb Report, 29 Dec. 2023

King Charles' mother performed the ceremony in 1953 following her own coronation and again in 1977 and 2022 to mark important jubilees. —Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 20 Oct. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French jubilé, from Late Latin jubilaeus, modification of Late Greek iōbēlaios, from Hebrew yōbhēl ram's horn, jubilee

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adjective

1951, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

jubilee

noun

ju·​bi·​lee

ˈjü-bə-ˌlē,

ˌjü-bə-ˈlē

1

: a special anniversary

especially : a 50th anniversary

2

: a celebration especially of an anniversary