shammes

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/ˈʃɑːmɪs/

A form of shamash — The candle used to light the other eight candles of a Hanukkah menorah or hanukkiah.

OriginYiddish שמשׂ ← Hebrew שמש →
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

nounshammes (plural shammosim or shammeses)

plural shammosim · plural shammeses · alternative shames

  1. alternativeAlternative form of shamash (“sexton in a synagogue”).
  2. alternativeAlternative form of shamash (“candle used to light other candles of a Hanukkah menorah”).

Origin

  1. Hebrewשמש
  2. Yiddishשמשׂ
  3. Englishshammes

From Yiddish שמשׂ (shames), from Hebrew שמש (shamásh). Doublet of shamash.

More words from Yiddish, Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

shammes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shammes

MLA

“shammes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shammes. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shammes,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shammes.

Source: shammes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.