Taanith Esther

or Ta·a·nit Es·ther, Ta·a·nis Es·ther

[ tah-nit es-ter, -nis; Sephardic Hebrew tah-ah-neet es-ter; Ashkenazic Hebrew tah-ah-nis es-tuhr ]

noun

1. a Jewish fast day observed on the 13th day of the month of Adar in memory of Esther's fast of three days before petitioning her husband, King Ahasuerus of Persia, to spare the Jews from destruction by Haman.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Taanith Esther¹

From Hebrew taʿanīth estēr “fast of Esther”