Etymology

shamash

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Today it means: The candle used to light the other eight candles of a Hanukkah menorah or hanukkiah. Full definition →

Hebrew שַׁמָּשׁ
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shamash · noun1

  1. Hebrew · borrowed fromשַׁמָּשׁ“waiter, sexton”
  2. English todayshamash

From Hebrew שַׁמָּשׁ (shamásh, “waiter, sexton”). Doublet of shammes, via Yiddish.

Shamash · proper noun2

  1. Proto-Semitic · derived from*śamš-
  2. Akkadian · derived fromŠamaš
  3. English todayShamash

From Akkadian Šamaš, ultimately from Proto-Semitic *śamš-. Compare shin.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.