The Sabbath is a special day of rest and worship in Judaism and some Christian traditions. It is usually observed weekly, with work stopped and time set aside for prayer, family, and reflection.
From Old English *sabbath*, from Latin *sabbatum*, from Greek *sábbaton*, from Hebrew *šabbāt*, meaning 'rest' or 'cessation'. The root idea is stopping work and resting.
The idea of a weekly day off is ancient, not modern—Sabbath literally means 'stopping'. Our modern weekend is partly a secular echo of this religious rhythm. The word shows that even our calendars carry old spiritual habits.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.