Gethsemane

American  

[geth-sem-uh-nee] / gɛθˈsɛm ə ni /

noun

1. (in the Bible) a garden east of Jerusalem, near the brook of Kedron: scene of Jesus' agony and betrayal.

2. gethsemane, a scene or occasion of suffering; calvary.

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Gethsemane British  

/ ɡɛθˈsɛmənɪ /

noun

1. New Testament the garden in Jerusalem where Christ was betrayed on the night before his Crucifixion (Matthew 26:36–56)

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Other Word Forms

• Gethsemanic adjective
• gethsemanic adjective

Etymology

Origin of Gethsemane

From Late Latin Gethsēmani, from Greek Gethsēmaní, probably from assumed Aramaic gadh shĕmānē, from Hebrew gath shĕmānīm “oil press”

Example Sentences

He painted hundreds, murals of a jungle and of the Garden of Gethsemane at the old Clifton’s cafeteria, five panels of L.A. history at the Rosslyn Hotel — now, predictably, covered up, damaged, destroyed.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2024

The procession made its way from the Mount of Olives past the Garden of Gethsemane where, according to biblical tradition, Jesus was betrayed, then finally into the alleyways of the Old City.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 2, 2023

They broke their fasts to a soundtrack of car horns, distant chants from the mosque and, later, faint choral melodies wafting from the basilica at Gethsemane.

From New York Times • Apr. 17, 2022

But according to most theologians, that "crushing" and "bruising" happens in the New Testament, and the encounter begins in another garden, the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus is betrayed and arrested.

From Fox News • Feb. 14, 2022

At the Garden of Gethsemane, she cried again.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye