Hanukkah

noun

Ha·​nuk·​kah ˈhä-nə-kə How to pronounce Hanukkah (audio) ˈḵä- How to pronounce Hanukkah (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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 See all Example Sentences for Hanukkah 

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew ḥănukkāh dedication

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Hanukkah was in 1843

Dictionary Entries Near Hanukkah

Cite this Entry

“Hanukkah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hanukkah. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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.

More from Merriam-Webster on Hanukkah

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!