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

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

Suddenly Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s are a mere weeks away and your to-do list seems to never end. —Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 30 Oct. 2024

The hybrid name is a combination of both Christmas and Hanukkah and was created as a way to enjoy the best of both holidays. —Emma Aerin Becker, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024

The station is offering 26 festive channels, including the new Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning Radio, Country Christmas, Radio Hanukkah and more, all available starting Nov. 1 on the SiriusXM app. —Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 29 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.