Sabbath

[sab-uhth]

noun

1. the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, Saturday, as the day of rest and religious observance among Jews and some Christians.

2. the Sabbath, the first day of the week, Sunday, observed by most Christians as a day of public worship and often of rest.

3. any special day of prayer, worship, or rest.

4. Often sabbath a day or other period of rest or break from certain forms of activity.

   If people gave themselves a weekly sabbath from electronic devices, it would probably cure many ills.

5. Sometimes sabbath Sabbat.

Sabbath

/ ˈsæbəθ /

noun

1. the seventh day of the week, Saturday, devoted to worship and rest from work in Judaism and in certain Christian Churches

2. Sunday, observed by Christians as the day of worship and rest from work in commemoration of Christ's Resurrection

3. (not capital) a period of rest

4. Also called: sabbat.  witches' Sabbath. a midnight meeting or secret rendezvous for practitioners of witchcraft, sorcery, or devil worship

Sabbath

1. The holy day of rest and reflection observed each Saturday among the Jews. This custom fulfills the fourth of the Ten Commandments (“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy”). The Sabbath commemorates the last of the seven days of Creation as described in the Book of Genesis, the day God rested from his labors of creating the heavens and the Earth.

Christians have traditionally kept Sunday as a weekly day of rest in adaptation of the Jewish observance, and in commemoration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Some denominations, such as the Seventh-Day Adventists, observe Saturday as the Sabbath.

Other Word Forms

• Sabbathless adjective
• Sabbathlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sabbath¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English sabat, sabadt, sabath, Old English sabat, from Latin sabbatum, from Greek sábbaton, from Hebrew shabbāth “rest”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sabbath¹

Old English sabbat, from Latin sabbatum, from Greek sabbaton, from Hebrew shabbāth, from shābath to rest

Example Sentences

Slash was first drawn to the event in 2013 due to a haunted house themed around the music and images of Black Sabbath.

From Los Angeles Times

He added: “I don’t care about Black Sabbath, I never did. Have no interest in biting the heads of chickens or whatever they do. I couldn’t care less, you know.”

From Los Angeles Times

He died less than three weeks after he and his Black Sabbath bandmates had played a farewell concert for 40,000 fans at Villa Park football ground.

From BBC

The band’s music drew clear inspiration from Black Sabbath and Slayer and influenced subsequent metal acts like Baroness and Pallbearer.

From Los Angeles Times

Thousands of Black Sabbath fans honored the musician’s legacy as his hearse, followed by his wife and children, made its way through Birmingham, the Associated Press reported.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• day off 
• rest day www.thesaurus.com