menorah

American  

[muh-nawr-uh, -nohr-uh] / məˈnɔr ə, -ˈnoʊr ə /

noun

menorahs plural

1. a candelabrum having seven branches (as used in the Biblical tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem), or any number of branches (as used in modern synagogues).

2. a candelabrum having nine branches, for use on the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

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menorah British  

/ məˈnɑʊrɔ, mɪˈnɔːrə /

noun

1. a seven-branched candelabrum used in the Temple and now an emblem of Judaism and the badge of the state of Israel

2. a candelabrum having eight branches and a shammes that is lit during the festival of Hanukkah

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menorah Cultural  

1. A nine-branched candelabrum used during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. The center candle, or “starter,” is used to light the other eight candles, with one additional candle lit on each subsequent evening of the celebration.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• menorahs
  plural

Etymology

Origin of menorah

First recorded in 1885–90, menorah is from the Hebrew word mənōrāh literally, lampstand

Explanation

A menorah is a special candleholder for seven or nine candles. Nine-branched menorahs are used during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that falls in the late fall or winter and lasts for eight days and nights. A menorah is an important part of celebrating Hanukkah, also known as "the festival of lights." A seven-branched menorah, which did not use candles but instead had seven oil lamps, is described in the Hebrew Bible. The word menorah comes from a Semitic root meaning "to shine."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

menorah menorahs

After the parade of diverse Australians had sparked flames on each arm of the menorah, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman of Bondi Chabad made a plea for more love and more unity.

From BBC ● Dec. 21, 2025

As a song—“Just a Little Bit of Light”—plays, he lifts a large menorah from his car, fastens it onto the roof, lights it, and dances beside it, out in the street.

From Slate ● Dec. 19, 2025

On Sunday evening, leaders from the Chabad Jewish Community Center of Pacific Palisades gathered at the mall to light a towering menorah.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025

But beyond that, the reports are like Christmas trees, or candles on a menorah.

From Barron's ● Dec. 17, 2025

I stood at attention and held my arms out and did my best to imitate a menorah.

From "Milkweed" by Jerry Spinelli

The learning-center displays, for example, are often entrancing, particularly a 50-foot glass vitrine featuring a stunning array of more than 130 menorahs from around the globe, dating back to the first millennium.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025

She called her pastor, Keith Torney, and asked if the children in Sunday school could draw menorahs and display them in their windows in solidarity with their Jewish neighbors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 10, 2025

Often, these traditions reach far beyond symbols of faith like Christmas trees and Hanukkah menorahs, and can be traced back to a treasured friend or a relative.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 2025

Its large Hanukkah celebrations have become an annual tradition across the United States and elsewhere, complete with giant menorahs paraded on car rooftops and displayed in other public settings.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 11, 2024

Christmas trees and menorahs were displayed in the windows of many apartments.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

Related Words

• candelabra
• sconce