Hanukkah definition
An eight-day festival beginning on the 25th day of Kislev, commemorating the victory in 165 bc of the Maccabees over Antiochus Epiphanes (c. 215–164 bc ) and the rededication of the Temple at Jerusalem.
noun
A Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Temple by Judas Maccabaeus in 165 b.c. and celebrated for 8 days beginning the 25th day of Kislev.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun
Singular:
hanukkah
Plural:
hanukkahsOrigin of hanukkah
- Hebrew ḥănukkâ dedication from ḥānak to train, dedicate ḥnk in Semitic roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- Originated 1890–95. From Hebrew חנוכה \ חֲנֻכָּה (khanuká, “dedication, consecration”) from חָנַךְ (khanákh, “to dedicate, to consecrate”).
From Wiktionary