shammes

or sha·mes

[ shah-muhs ]

noun,plural sham·mo·sim [shah-maw-sim]. /ʃɑˈmɔ sɪm/.
  1. the candle used to kindle the candles in the Hanukkah menorah.

Origin of shammes

1
1945–50; <Yiddish shames<Hebrew shammāsh server, attendant

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British Dictionary definitions for shammes

shammes

shammash

/ (ˈʃɑːməs, Hebrew ʃaˈmaʃ) /


nounplural shammosim or shammashim (Hebrew ʃaˈmɔsɪm) Judaism
  1. an official acting as the beadle, sexton, and caretaker of a synagogue

  2. the extra candle used on the Feast of Hanukkah to kindle the lamps or candles of the menorah

Origin of shammes

1
from Hebrew shāmmāsh, from Aramaic shĕmāsh to serve

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