jubilee

[ joo-buh-lee, joo-buh-lee ]

See synonyms for jubilee on Thesaurus.com

noun

the celebration of any of certain anniversaries, as the twenty-fifth (silver jubilee ), fiftieth (golden jubilee ), or sixtieth or seventy-fifth (diamond jubilee ).
the completion of 50 years of existence, activity, or the like, or its celebration: Our college will celebrate its jubilee next year.

any season or occasion of rejoicing or festivity.
rejoicing or jubilation.
Roman Catholic Church.
- an appointed year or other period, ordinarily every 25 years (ordinary jubilee ), in which a plenary indulgence is granted upon repentance and the performance of certain religious acts.
- a period of time (extraordinary jubilee ) declared by the pope as a time of rejoicing, as for an anniversary, when a plenary indulgence is granted upon repentance and the performance of certain religious acts.
- Also called jubilee indulgence. the plenary indulgence granted during such a period.
Also Ju·bi·le .Chiefly Biblical. a yearlong period to be observed by Jews once every 50 years, during which Jewish slaves were to be freed, alienated lands were to be restored to the original owner or an heir, the fields were to be left untilled, and all agricultural labors were to be suspended. Leviticus 25.: Compare sabbatical year (def. 2).
a Black American folk song concerned with future happiness or deliverance from tribulation.

adjective

flambé (def. 1): We had cherries jubilee for dessert.

Origin of jubilee

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English iubile, iubilee, from Middle French jubilé, from Late Latin jūbilaeus, from Greek iōbēlaîos (with ō and ē becoming u and i by assimilation to Latin jūbilāre “to shout for joy”), from Hebrew yōbhēl “ram, ram's horn, ram's horn used as a trumpet, trumpet, jubilee”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use jubilee in a sentence

In the year of this Jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.
The Astronomy of the Bible | E. Walter Maunder

British Dictionary definitions for jubilee

jubilee

/ (ˈdʒuːbɪˌliː, ˌdʒuːbɪˈliː) /

noun

a time or season for rejoicing
a special anniversary, esp a 25th or 50th one

RC Church a specially appointed period, now ordinarily every 25th year, in which special indulgences are granted
Old Testament a year that was to be observed every 50th year, during which Hebrew slaves were to be liberated, alienated property was to be restored, etc
a less common word for jubilation

Origin of jubilee

C14: from Old French jubile, from Late Latin jubilaeus, from Late Greek iōbēlaios, from Hebrew yōbhēl ram's horn, used for the proclamation of the year of jubilee; influenced by Latin jūbilāre to shout for joy

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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