sabbatical

1 of 2

adjective

sab·​bat·​i·​cal sə-ˈba-ti-kəl How to pronounce sabbatical (audio)
variants or less commonly sabbatic
1
: of or relating to a sabbatical year
2
: of or relating to the sabbath
sabbatical laws

sabbatical

2 of 2

noun

1
2
3
: a break or change from a normal routine (as of employment)

Did you know?

The History of Sabbatical and Sabbath: Take a Break

We tend to think of sabbatical in academic terms, as a school year free from teaching duties that can be devoted to research, travel, and writing. Traditionally, this occurs every seventh year. Because of this scholarly context, we may easily miss what is hiding in plain sight: that sabbatical is related to Sabbath, which refers to the Biblical day of rest, or the seventh day. We trace the origins of both sabbatical and Sabbath to the Greek word sabbaton. Sabbaton itself traces to the Hebrew word shabbāth, meaning “rest.”

The Old Testament refers to God’s “day of rest” most famously in Genesis, but Sabbath referring to an entire year of rest is mentioned in Leviticus (25:3-5):

Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;

But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.

Sabbatical is also used as an adjective to refer specifically to the rules governing the observance of the Sabbath, as in “sabbatical laws.”

Examples of sabbatical in a Sentence

Noun Several professors will be taking sabbaticals this year. She recently returned to work after a two-year sabbatical from her acting career. Several professors will be on sabbatical this year.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The company also announced changes to its monthlong paid sabbatical benefit, raising the requirement from five years at the company to eight years. Lora Kolodny,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 7 May 2025 Walsh said resigning will give him time to travel with his wife, Heidi, who will be on sabbatical this summer. Mary Divine, Twin Cities, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
Unlike traditional workplace recognition, experiential rewards like sabbaticals prioritize memorable experiences and lasting positive impacts. Soni Basi, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025 Katie Jackson is a freelance writer who pays her mortgage in Montana but takes regular sabbaticals to go surfing in Portugal, cycling in Thailand, and hiking in South Africa. Katie Jackson, Outside Online, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sabbatical

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Late Latin sabbaticus, from Greek sabbatikos, from sabbaton

First Known Use

Adjective

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1925, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sabbatical was in 1599

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sabbatical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sabbatical. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

sabbatical

adjective
sab·​bat·​i·​cal
sə-ˈbat-i-kəl
variants or sabbatic
-ˈbat-ik
1
: of or relating to the Sabbath
sabbatical laws
2
: of or relating to a leave granted usually every seventh year (as to a professor) for rest, travel, or research

More from Merriam-Webster on sabbatical

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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