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Glite Dictionary
Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah

7.5
A Jewish festival that marks the new year with prayer and the blowing of a ram's horn
  • noun
  • /roʊʃ hɑːʃɑːnɑː/
  • Jargon
translation icon : Rosh Hashaná
  • The blowing of the shofar is a central tradition of Rosh Hashanah.

Examples

  • During Rosh Hashanah, it is customary to eat apples dipped in honey for a sweet year.

  • People all over the world gather in synagogues to celebrate Rosh Hashanah every autumn.

  • Happy Rosh Hashanah!

  • Many families gather to celebrate Rosh Hashanah together.

  • During Rosh Hashanah, it is customary to eat apples dipped in honey for a sweet year.

  • People all over the world gather in synagogues to celebrate Rosh Hashanah every autumn.

  • The blowing of the shofar is a central tradition of Rosh Hashanah.

Synonyms

Rosh Hashana
vsRosh Hashanah
  • Jargon
3 7.2

A Jewish holiday that marks the New Year with prayer and the sound of a ram's horn

is the standard form of the name rather than the alternate spelling
Jewish New Year
vsRosh Hashanah
1 5.3

A solemn Jewish festival that marks the start of the year with prayers and the blowing of a horn

is the Hebrew festival name rather than the explanatory English phrase
Rosh Hashona
vsRosh Hashanah
  • Jargon
7.9

A Jewish new year holiday marked by prayer and the sounding of a ram's horn

is the general description but uses the traditional month name
Rosh Hashonah
vsRosh Hashanah
  • Jargon
7.2

A Jewish New Year festival in early autumn marked by prayer and the blowing of a ram's horn

specifies the month of Tishri rather than the vague season

Surface Forms

Rosh Hashanah singular

Morphology

Rosh + Hashanah

Although the supplied constituents are not English dictionary entries, in Hebrew 'rosh' = 'head' and 'hashanah' = 'year', so a learner who knows those constituent meanings could readily infer 'head of the year' → the start of the year / New Year. However, the term is a fixed cultural/religious name for a specific festival with rituals (shofar, prayer) that are not fully derivable from the literal parts, so full understanding requires cultural knowledge.

Etymology

Rosh Hashanah comes from Hebrew words Rosh meaning 'head' and Hashanah meaning 'year', so it literally means the 'head of the year'. That's why it is the Jewish festival that marks the start of the year with prayer, the blowing of the shofar, and wishes for a sweet new year.