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

All food and liquid is disallowed between sundown on the eve of Yom Kippur until sundown the following day. —Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 30 Aug. 2025

It will be looked at as this great disaster, and the likes the Yom Kippur War 50 years earlier in October of 1973. —Meredith Wolf Schizer, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025

This was partly in retaliation for vital U.S. support of Israel during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. —Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025

Its Shabbat services attract 30 to 40 people; between 200 to 300 come for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. —Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 21 Aug. 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