Hanukkah

noun

Ha·​nuk·​kah ˈhä-nə-kə  ˈḵä- 

variants or less commonly Chanukah or Hanukah

: an 8-day Jewish holiday beginning on the 25th of Kislev and commemorating the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem after its defilement by Antiochus of Syria

Examples of Hanukkah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And remember it can always be used to toast friends and family during the multitude of holidays on the horizon (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve, and others). —Liz Thach, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024

The Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis What to know: Last Hanukkah, the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis' Adopt-a-Family program served more than 300 Hoosiers, including 175 children and teens. —Holly V. Hays, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Nov. 2024

Modern Star of David Holiday Card Celebrating Hanukkah this year? —Rachel Simon, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2024

Halloween items hit shelves as early as August, and Christmas and Hanukkah decorations popped up in October or even September. —Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew ḥănukkāh dedication

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

Hanukkah

noun

Ha·​nuk·​kah

variants also Chanukah or Hanukah

ˈḵän-ə-kə,

ˈhän-

: an eight-day Jewish holiday celebrated in November or December in honor of the cleansing and second dedication of the Temple after the Syrians were driven out of Jerusalem in 165 b.c.