Yom Tov
/ˌjɒm ˈtɔːv/noun
A Jewish religious festival or holy day, especially one on which ordinary work is traditionally prohibited.
Did you know?In Jewish tradition, a Yom Tov is not merely a date on a calendar: it is sacred time that reshapes ordinary rules around work, celebration, food, and ritual.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*yawm-
“Day; a period of daylight or a defined day”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
יוֹם (yōm)
“Day; time or a designated occasion”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
טוֹב (ṭōv)
“Good, favorable, pleasant, or beneficial”
Rabbinic Hebrew
Hebrew
יוֹם טוֹב (yom ṭov)
“A good day; a festival or holy day”
Medieval Jewish English usage
English
yom tov
“A Jewish festival day, retained as a Hebrew religious term”
Modern English
English
Yom Tov
“A Jewish holy day or religious festival”
Explore more surprising origins