Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Tisha b'Av

Tisha b'Av

9.9
A day when Jewish people fast and mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem
  • proper noun
  • /ˈtiːʃə bʌʔˈɑːv/
translation icon : Tisha b'Av
  • Many synagogues hold special services on Tisha b'Av to mourn the destruction of the Temple.

Examples

  • Some communities read the Book of Lamentations aloud during Tisha b'Av observances.

  • Many Jews observe Tisha b'Av with fasting and prayer.

  • Jews traditionally fast and refrain from celebration on Tisha b'Av.

  • Is Tisha b'Av a day of mourning?

  • Jews traditionally fast and refrain from celebration on Tisha b'Av.

  • Many synagogues hold special services on Tisha b'Av to mourn the destruction of the Temple.

  • Some communities read the Book of Lamentations aloud during Tisha b'Av observances.

Synonyms

Tishah b'Av
vsTisha b'Av
9.9

A Jewish day when people fast and mourn for the destruction of the Jerusalem temples

is the same observance but spelled or punctuated differently
Tisha B'Av
vsTisha b'Av
9.9

A Jewish fast day to remember the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem

is the same observance but differs in capitalization and formatting
Tishah b'Ab
vsTisha b'Av
9.9

A day when Jewish people fast and mourn the destruction of the ancient temples in Jerusalem

is the same observance but appears with another spelling variant
Ninth of Ab
vsTisha b'Av
9.9

A major Jewish fast day when people mourn the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem

is the same commemoration but described as both fasting and mourning
Fast of Av
vsTisha b'Av
9.9

A major Jewish fast on the ninth day of Av that remembers the destruction of the temples in Jerusalem

is the same observance but does not stress the calendar date
Ninth of Av
vsTisha b'Av
9.9

A major Jewish day when people do not eat or drink to remember when the temples in Jerusalem were destroyed

adds ritual detail, noting formal fasting and mourning practices
Fast of Ab
vsTisha b'Av
9.9

A major Jewish day when people do not eat to remember when the temples were destroyed in Jerusalem

is the fuller description that highlights mourning and fasting observance

Surface Forms

Tisha b'Av main

Morphology

Tisha + b'Av

Tisha b'Av is a Hebrew proper name for a specific religious fast and its constituent forms are not English lexemes (both are listed as not found), so the meaning is culture-specific rather than compositionally derived from known English words. A B1 learner who knows English vocabulary would not be able to infer that this denotes a major Jewish day of mourning and fasting, making it non-transparent.

Etymology

Tisha b'Av comes from Hebrew words Tisha and b'Av, and it literally means 'the ninth of Av'. Many disasters, including the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, happened on that date, so Jewish people fast and mourn on Tisha b'Av to remember those losses.