noun Uncommon

Sabbath

SA-buhth

Sabbath (noun) means a weekly day set aside for rest and religious observance — Saturday in Judaism, Sunday in most Christian traditions, and Friday in Islam. Example: “Observant Jewish families avoid work from Friday sunset through Saturday sunset for the Sabbath.”

noun

A weekly day set aside for rest and religious observance — Saturday in Judaism, Sunday in most Christian traditions, and Friday in Islam.

"Observant Jewish families avoid work from Friday sunset through Saturday sunset for the Sabbath."

"Many churches treat Sunday as a Sabbath of rest and worship."

In folklore, a supposed midnight gathering of witches.

"The old legend described a witches' sabbath deep in the forest."

How to use Sabbath

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe weekly holy day of rest observed in Judaism, Christianity, and (with a different day) Islam.

Common pairings

observe the Sabbath keep the Sabbath Sabbath rest

Word forms

Sabbaths plural

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Observant Jewish families avoid work from Friday sunset through Saturday sunset for the _____.

Etymology

From Hebrew shabbat via Greek and Latin sabbatum, ultimately tied to a root meaning "to rest" or "to cease."

Origin: Latin

Frequently asked questions

What does “Sabbath” mean?

The word “Sabbath” means a weekly day set aside for rest and religious observance — Saturday in Judaism, Sunday in most Christian traditions, and Friday in Islam. In plain terms, the weekly holy day of rest observed in Judaism, Christianity, and (with a different day) Islam.

How do you pronounce “Sabbath”?

“Sabbath” is pronounced SA-buhth (/ˈsæbəθ/ in IPA).

How do you use “Sabbath” in a sentence?

Here is “Sabbath” used in a sentence: “Observant Jewish families avoid work from Friday sunset through Saturday sunset for the Sabbath.”

What part of speech is “Sabbath”?

“Sabbath” is a noun.

Where does the word “Sabbath” come from?

The word “Sabbath” comes from Latin. From Hebrew shabbat via Greek and Latin sabbatum, ultimately tied to a root meaning "to rest" or "to cease.".

Is “Sabbath” a common word?

“Sabbath” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Sabbath” have?

“Sabbath” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a weekly day set aside for rest and religious observance — Saturday in Judaism, Sunday in most Christian traditions, and Friday in Islam.

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