shammes

or sha·mes

[ shah-muhs ]

/ ˈʃɑ məs /

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noun, plural sham·mo·sim

[shah-maw-sim]. /ʃɑˈmɔ sɪm/.

sexton (def. 2).

the candle used to kindle the candles in the Hanukkah menorah.

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Origin of shammes

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

Words nearby shammes

shamina, Shamir, shamisen, Shammai, shammer, shammes, shammy, Shamo, Shamokin, shamoy, shampoo

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

British Dictionary definitions for shammes

shammes

shammash

/ (ˈʃɑːməs, Hebrew ʃaˈmaʃ) /

noun plural shammosim or shammashim (Hebrew ʃaˈmɔsɪm) Judaism

an official acting as the beadle, sexton, and caretaker of a synagogue

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

Word Origin for shammes

from Hebrew shāmmāsh, from Aramaic shĕmāsh to serve

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