¹jubilee

noun ju·bi·lee \ˈjü-bə-(ˌ)lē, ˌjü-bə-ˈlē\

: a special anniversary; also : a celebration at the time of such an anniversary

Full Definition of JUBILEE

often capitalized : a year of emancipation and restoration provided by ancient Hebrew law to be kept every 50 years by the emancipation of Hebrew slaves, restoration of alienated lands to their former owners, and omission of all cultivation of the land

a : a special anniversary; especially : a 50th anniversary

b : a celebration of such an anniversary

a : a period of time proclaimed by the Roman Catholic pope ordinarily every 25 years as a time of special solemnity

b : a special plenary indulgence granted during a year of jubilee to Roman Catholics who perform certain specified works of repentance and piety

a : jubilation

b : a season of celebration

: a religious song of black Americans usually referring to a time of future happiness

See jubilee defined for English-language learners

See jubilee defined for kids

Origin of JUBILEE

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French jubilé, from Late Latin jubilaeus, modification of Late Greek iōbēlaios, from Hebrew yōbhēl ram's horn, jubilee

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to JUBILEE

Synonyms: carnival, celebration, fest, festivity, fete (or fête), fiesta, gala, festival

Other Number-Related Terms

myriad, quarantine, score, twain

Rhymes with JUBILEE

abatis, ABC, ABD, abductee, absentee, acquiree, addressee, adoptee, advisee, alienee, allottee, amputee, apogee, appellee, appointee, appraisee, après-ski, arrestee, assignee, attendee, auditee, awardee, axletree, BVD, Baha'i, bain-marie, barley-bree, batterie, billi-bi, boiserie, bonhomie, booboisie, bourgeoisie, brasserie, brusquerie, bumblebee, camphor tree, camporee, cap-a-pie, causerie, Chamonix, Cherokee, chickadee, chickaree, chimpanzee, China Sea, Christmas tree, chroma-key, coati, Coligny, conferee, consignee, cop a plea, Coral Sea, counselee, context-free, counterplea, cruelty-free, Danaë, DDT, debauchee, Debussy, departee, deportee, dernier cri, designee, detainee, devisee, devotee, diploe, disagree, dischargee, divorcé, divorcée, DME, dungaree, duty-free, eau-de-vie, employee, endorsee, enlistee, enrollee, enshrinee, epopee, escadrille, escapee, ESP, evictee, expellee, family tree, fancy-free, fantasy, fedayee, fever tree, filigree, fleur-de-lis, franchisee, fricassee, function key, galilee, Galilee, garnishee, gaucherie, Gemini, Greenland Sea, guarani, guarantee, Hawaii, HIV, Holy See, honeybee, honoree, housemaid's knee, humble-bee, inductee, Inland Sea, internee, invitee, Irish Sea, IUD, jacquerie, jamboree, Java Sea, Joshua tree, Judas tree, jumper's knee, jus soli, Kayseri, kedgeree, kidnappee, killer bee, LCD, LED, legatee, libelee, licensee, LSD, maître d', Malay Sea, manatee, master key, Mormon tea, mortgagee, murderee, NBC, nominee, obligee, oversea, oversee, Park Chung Hee, parolee, parti pris, pass degree, patentee, pedigree, peppertree, perigee, permittee, pharisee, picotee, piroshki, point d'appui, potpourri, praecipe, presentee, promisee, public-key, rapparee, referee, refugee, rejectee, renminbi, repartee, retiree, returnee, RPV, rubber tree, saddletree, Sadducee, sangaree, Savaii, selectee, Semele, shivaree, slotting fee, snickersnee, spelling bee, spindle tree, SST, STD, Tappan Zee, Tenebrae, Tennessee, third degree, thirty-three, TNT, to a tee, toile de Jouy, torii, transferee, tulip tree, undersea, user fee, vaccinee, value-free, varnish tree, verdigris, VIP, vis-à-vis, wannabe, warrantee, Wounded Knee

²jubilee

adjective, often capitalized

Definition of JUBILEE

: flambé <cherries jubilee>

First Known Use of JUBILEE

1951

JUBILEE Defined for Kids

jubilee

noun ju·bi·lee \ˈjü-bə-ˌlē, ˌjü-bə-ˈlē\

Definition of JUBILEE for Kids

: a 50th anniversary

: a time of celebration

Word History of JUBILEE

In ancient Hebrew tradition every 50th year was a time of restoration, when slaves were freed and lands restored to their former owners. This year took its Hebrew name, yōbhēl, from the ram's horn trumpets sounded to proclaim its coming. When the Hebrew scriptures were translated into Greek, yōbhēl was rendered as iōbēlaios. Under the influence of the Latin verb jubilare, “to let out joyful shouts,” the Greek word became jubilaeus in Latin, from which it came into English in the 1300s.