paschal lamb

American  

noun

1. Jewish History. a lamb slaughtered and eaten on the eve of the first day of Passover. Exodus 12:3–11.

2. (initial capital letters) Christ.

3. (initial capital letters) any of several symbolic representations of Christ, as the Agnus Dei.

4. Also called Holy Lamb.  (initial capital letters) a representation of a lamb passant having around its head a nimbus and supporting on the dexter shoulder a crosslike staff bearing a flag argent charged with a cross gules.

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Paschal Lamb British  

noun

1. (sometimes not capitals) Old Testament the lamb killed and eaten on the first day of the Passover

2. Christ regarded as this sacrifice

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Etymology

Origin of paschal lamb

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English

Example Sentences

Soon there will be strawberries, asparagus, rhubarb, snow peas and watercress, the paschal lamb, the Easter ham.

From New York Times • Mar. 2, 2017

In a rough-hewn but softly hued departure from his other, often starker work, Baskin evokes many of the familiar Passover figures �the paschal lamb, Pharaoh, the plagues, and the prophet Elijah.

From Time Magazine Archive

As the Israelites feasted joyfully on the flesh of the paschal lamb, so does the church feed by faith on the great antitypal Lamb of God, who is the true Passover sacrificed for us.

From Companion to the Bible by Barrows, E. P. (Elijah Porter)

It was also the day, four days before the Passover, on which the Jews were enjoined by the law to choose their paschal lamb.

From The Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of St John, Vol. II by Dods, Marcus

An impression, image, or representation of some model which is termed the anti-type; thus the brazen serpent and the paschal lamb were types, of which our Lord was the anti-type.

From The Church Handy Dictionary by Anonymous