Kiddush

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɪdʊʃ/

Definitions

1. A ritual act that occurs during meals, which includes the recitation of blessings over wine or bread, is designed to honor the Sabbath or Jewish holidays
2. This practice encompasses saying specific blessings over wine or bread at a communal meal, serving to sanctify sacred Jewish occasions
3. A ceremonial blessing performed over wine or bread at festive meals is intended to elevate the significance of Jewish holy days and the Sabbath

Etymology: Kiddush is the blessing recited over wine, and sometimes bread, to mark the start of the Sabbath and Jewish festivals. Its Hebrew source, קִדּוּשׁ (kidúsh), means "sanctification," so the word names an act that makes a moment holy rather than the wine itself. English borrowed it directly from Hebrew, and the word is a doublet of "kaddish," the mourners' prayer, since both descend from the same Hebrew root meaning holiness or sanctification. The pairing is more than a loose resemblance. Two words that split from one source, one taking the path of ritual blessing and the other the path of a prayer for the dead, show how a single Hebrew idea of holiness could branch into very different corners of religious life. Kiddush is most familiar to English speakers as the cup raised at a Sabbath meal, and its name carries the sense of setting that meal apart from ordinary time.