Illustration of menorah
: a candelabra with seven or nine lights that is used in Jewish worship
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The Menorah and Hanukkah
In English, menorah was originally the name for the seven-branched candelabra used in Jewish worship. The nine-branched Hanukkah candelabra is called hanukkiah in Hebrew, but English speakers came to use menorah for this too. The Hanukkah menorah recalls expulsion by Judah Maccabee of invading forces from the Temple of Jerusalem. Maccabee and his followers sought oil for the temple’s menorah so that the sanctuary could be rededicated, but they found only enough oil for a single day. Miraculously, that tiny amount of oil burned for eight days, until a new supply could be obtained. The Hanukkah menorah includes a candle for each day the oil burned, plus the shammes, a "servant candle" that is used to light the others.
Examples of menorah in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
George Chan / Getty Images An hour before midnight, the Bondi Beach massacre victims were commemorated with one minute of silence, while images of a menorah were projected onto the bridge's pylons.
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CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
Residents and visitors held a moment of silence one hour before midnight as an image of a menorah was projected onto the side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 31 Dec. 2025
An hour before midnight, the massacre victims were commemorated with a minute of silence while images of a menorah were projected on the bridge pylons.
—Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
The menorah was displayed as a part of a Hanukkah ceremony that took place in front of the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector’s office at 200 NW Second Ave.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
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CBS News, 31 Dec. 2025
Residents and visitors held a moment of silence one hour before midnight as an image of a menorah was projected onto the side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 31 Dec. 2025
An hour before midnight, the massacre victims were commemorated with a minute of silence while images of a menorah were projected on the bridge pylons.
—Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2025
The menorah was displayed as a part of a Hanukkah ceremony that took place in front of the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector’s office at 200 NW Second Ave.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for menorah
Cite this Entry
“Menorah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/menorah. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
menorah
noun
me·no·rah
mə-ˈnȯr-ə 
: a holder for candles used in Jewish worship
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