jubilee
UK /ˈd͡ʒuːbɪliː/ · US /ˈd͡ʒubəˌli/ noun, proper noun
Forms jubilees jubile
- noun (countable, Jewish history) A special year of emancipation supposed to be observed every fifty years, when farming was temporarily stopped, certain houses and land which had been sold could be redeemed by the original owners or their relatives, and Hebrew slaves set free.
- noun (Roman Catholicism) A special year (originally held every hundred years, then at more frequent intervals, and now declarable by the Pope at any time and also for periods less than a year) in which plenary indulgences and remission from sin can be granted upon making a pilgrimage to Rome or other designated churches.
- noun A major anniversary of an event, particularly the fiftieth (50th) anniversary of a coronation or marriage.
- noun (countable) A time for release or restitution.
- noun (countable) A time of celebration or rejoicing.
- noun (uncountable) Exultation, rejoicing; jubilation.
- noun (uncountable) The sound of celebration or rejoicing; shouts of joy.
- noun (countable, African-American Vernacular, music, often attributively) A joyful African-American (usually Christian) folk song.
- proper noun (rail transport) A London Underground line which runs between Stratford in East London and Stanmore in northwest London, via the London Docklands, South Bank, and West End.
Etymology
From Late Middle English jubile [and other forms], from Middle French jubile, from Old French jubilee, jubileus (modern French jubilé), from Late Latin iūbilaeus (adjective, also treated as a noun), from Ancient Greek ἰωβηλαῖος (iōbēlaîos, “of a jubilee”), from ἰώβηλος (iṓbēlos, “jubilee”) + -ῐος (-ĭos, suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives). Ἰώβηλος (Iṓbēlos) is derived from Hebrew יוֹבֵל (yōḇēl, “ram, trumpet made from a ram’s horn; jubilee”) (because a ram’s horn trumpet was originally used to proclaim the event; see Leviticus 25:9), influenced by Latin iūbilum (“a cry, a shout”) and iūbilō (“to cheer, shout or sing joyfully”). Cognate with Italian giubileo, Spanish jubileo.
See jubilee. The proper noun sense (“London Underground line”) was named after the silver jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (1926–2022) in 1977.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Every fiftieth year, being the year following the completion of each seventh sabbath of years, at which time all the slaves of Hebrew blood were liberated, and all lands which had been alienated during the whole period reverted to their former owners. [In this sense spelled also, in some English Bibles, jubile.] Lev. xxv. 8-17.
- noun The joyful commemoration held on the fiftieth anniversary of any event; as, the jubilee of Queen Victoria's reign; the jubilee of the American Board of Missions.
Etymology [F. jubilé, L. jubilaeus, Gr. y the blast of a trumpet, also the grand sabbatical year, which was announced by sound of trumpet.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “jubilee”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details