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

When a gunman approached a police cruiser outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, during Yom Kippur, approximately two dozen people were praying inside. — Ariella Noveck, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

The ramming attack occurred just days after a shooting in the West Bank on the eve of the Jewish high holiday of Yom Kippur. — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026

The shooting occurred Sunday evening outside the Sons of Jacob Congregation in Belleville, as Jewish community members were gathered to mark Yom Kippur, officials said. — ABC News, 22 Sep. 2026

The Samaria regional council said the killed man, Netanel Shakron, was a settler who had been bathing at a spring ahead of Yom Kippur. — Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026

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