Passover
/ˈpæsˌoʊvər/noun
A Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt.
Did you know?Passover comes from the Hebrew idea of God “passing over” the marked houses in Egypt, and the English name preserves that ancient act of selective protection.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Hebrew
Heb
pesaḥ
“Passover; the festival, linked to the passing over of the Israelites' houses in Egypt”
Septuagint / Ancient Greek
Gk
pascha
“Passover; the Jewish festival”
Late Latin
Lat
pascha
“Passover; later also used for Easter”
Old English
Eng
pasce
“Passover; the Jewish feast”
Middle English
Eng
passouer / passover
“Passover; the Jewish festival”
Modern English
Eng
Passover
“The Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt”