DEFINITIONS

shofar

or sho·phar

[ shoh-fer; Sephardic Hebrew shaw-fahr; Ashkenazic Hebrew shoh-fuh r, shoh-fahr ]
/ ˈʃoʊ fər; Sephardic Hebrew ʃɔˈfɑr; Ashkenazic Hebrew ˈʃoʊ fər, ʃoʊˈfɑr /

noun, plural sho·fars, Hebrew sho·froth, sho·frot, sho·fros [Sephardic Hebrew shaw-frawt; Ashkenazic Hebrew shoh-frohs, shoh-frohs] /Sephardic Hebrew ʃɔˈfrɔt; Ashkenazic Hebrew ˈʃoʊ froʊs, ʃoʊˈfroʊs/, Judaism.

a ram's horn blown as a wind instrument, sounded in Biblical times chiefly to communicate signals in battle and announce certain religious occasions and in modern times chiefly at synagogue services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Content related to shofar

The Meaning of “Rosh Hashana”Today is Rosh Hashana, the day that marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year.  At sunset today, families and friends will gather to pray and then eat the traditional honey and apples, which symbolize the hope for a sweet new year. Rosh Hashana comes from Hebrew and most simply put means “beginning of the year.” Why isn’t the Jewish New Year on December 31st? The Hebrews used …
READ MORE
Lunar New YearRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

Words nearby shofar

shoestring catch, shoestring potatoes, shoestring root rot, shoestring tackle, shoetree, shofar, shog, shogi, shogun, shogun bond, shogunate

Origin of shofar

First recorded in 1860–65, shofar is from the Hebrew word shōphār

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH shofar

chauffeur shofar
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for shofar

British Dictionary definitions for shofar

shofar

shophar

/ (ˈʃəʊfɑː, Hebrew ʃɔˈfar) /

noun plural -fars, -phars, -froth or -phroth (Hebrew -ˈfrɔt)

Judaism a ram's horn sounded in the synagogue daily during the month of Elul and repeatedly on Rosh Hashanah, and by the ancient Israelites as a warning, summons, etc

Word Origin for shofar

from Hebrew shōphār ram's horn
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