# Passover

/ˈpæˌsoʊvɝ/ (US) · /pˈæsəʊvɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/passover
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. Jewish holiday

noun · CEFR B2

a Jewish festival that lasts seven or eight days, celebrating the escape of the Israelites from Egypt.

For teachers: the Jewish festival of Pesach, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt; it is marked by the avoidance of leavened bread and the ritual Seder meal.

- Our family gathers every year for a special dinner on the first night of Passover.
- Passover begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, during which observant families remove all leavened products from their homes.

Usage: Usually capitalized as a proper noun.

### 2. the ritual meal

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the traditional meal or the lamb eaten during the first night of the holiday.

For teachers: the Paschal lamb sacrificed or consumed during the festival, or by extension, the Seder meal itself.

- They prepared the traditional foods required for the Passover.
- The theological significance of the Passover extends beyond the meal to the symbolic act of sacrifice described in the Torah.

Usage: Often used with the definite article 'the' when referring to the specific sacrificial lamb or meal.

## Examples

- Our family gathers for a special dinner during Passover.
- During Passover, many Jewish households remove all leavened bread from their homes and eat matzo instead.
- The celebration of Passover involves a ritual meal known as the Seder, where the story of the Exodus is retold through symbolic foods and traditional prayers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.