sabbatical

1 of 2

adjective

sab·​bat·​i·​cal sə-ˈba-ti-kəl 

variants or less commonly sabbatic

sə-ˈba-tik 

1

: of or relating to a sabbatical year

2

: of or relating to the sabbath

sabbatical laws

sabbatical

2 of 2

noun

1

: sabbatical year sense 2

2

: leave sense 1b

3

: a break or change from a normal routine (as of employment)

Did you know?

The History of Sabbatical and Sabbath: Take a Break

We tend to think of sabbatical in academic terms, as a school year free from teaching duties that can be devoted to research, travel, and writing. Traditionally, this occurs every seventh year. Because of this scholarly context, we may easily miss what is hiding in plain sight: that sabbatical is related to Sabbath, which refers to the Biblical day of rest, or the seventh day. We trace the origins of both sabbatical and Sabbath to the Greek word sabbaton. Sabbaton itself traces to the Hebrew word shabbāth, meaning “rest.”

The Old Testament refers to God’s “day of rest” most famously in Genesis, but Sabbath referring to an entire year of rest is mentioned in Leviticus (25:3-5):

Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof;

But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.

Sabbatical is also used as an adjective to refer specifically to the rules governing the observance of the Sabbath, as in “sabbatical laws.”

Examples of sabbatical in a Sentence

Noun

Several professors will be taking sabbaticals this year.

She recently returned to work after a two-year sabbatical from her acting career.

Several professors will be on sabbatical this year.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Taking a career break or sabbatical is a significant decision, especially for Black women navigating careers in industries where representation remains a challenge. —Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 8 Sep. 2024

Millennials, who by now are often more established in their careers, are still more likely than older cohorts to quit their current job or take a sabbatical to travel. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 June 2024

Noun

Create some flexibility around hours, location, and the need to make calls during the working day, temporary sabbaticals. —Nancy Doyle, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024

Browsing their pages reveals fundraisers for anything from birthday holidays and sabbaticals to more serious trips for life-saving surgery or evacuation from conflict zones. —Rosie Bell, WIRED, 22 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Late Latin sabbaticus, from Greek sabbatikos, from sabbaton

First Known Use

Adjective

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1925, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sabbatical

• sabbatical year

Kids Definition

sabbatical

adjective

sab·​bat·​i·​cal

sə-ˈbat-i-kəl

variants or sabbatic

-ˈbat-ik

1

: of or relating to the Sabbath

sabbatical laws

2

: of or relating to a leave granted usually every seventh year (as to a professor) for rest, travel, or research