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silver jubilee

 - 3 dictionary results

ju⋅bi⋅lee

  [joo-buh-lee, joo-buh-lee]
–noun
1. the celebration of any of certain anniversaries, as the twenty-fifth (silver jubilee), fiftieth (golden jubilee), or sixtieth or seventy-fifth (diamond jubilee).
2. the completion of 50 years of existence, activity, or the like, or its celebration: Our college will celebrate its jubilee next year.
3. any season or occasion of rejoicing or festivity.
4. rejoicing or jubilation.
5. Roman Catholic Church.
a. an appointed year or other period, ordinarily every 25 years (ordinary jubilee), in which a plenary indulgence is granted upon repentance and the performance of certain religious acts.
b. a period of time (extraordinary jubilee) declared by the pope as a time of rejoicing, as for an anniversary, when a plenary indulgence is granted upon repentance and the performance of certain religious acts.
c. Also called jubilee indulgence. the plenary indulgence granted during such a period.
6. Also, Ju⋅bi⋅le. Chiefly Biblical. a yearlong period to be observed by Jews once every 50 years, during which Jewish slaves were to be freed, alienated lands were to be restored to the original owner or an heir, the fields were to be left untilled, and all agricultural labors were to be suspended. Lev. 25. Compare sabbatical year (def. 2).
7. a black American folk song concerned with future happiness or deliverance from tribulation.
–adjective
8. flambé (def. 1): cherries jubilee for dessert.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < MF jubile < LL < jūbilaeus < LGk iōbēlaîos (with ō and ē > u and i by assimilation to L jūbilāre to shout for joy) < Heb yōbhēl ram's horn, jubilee
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

jubilee 
1382, from O.Fr. jubilé, from L.L. jubilæus "the jubilee year," originally an adj., "of the jubilee," altered (by association with L. jubilare "to shout with joy") from Gk. iabelaios, from iobelos, from Heb. yobhel "jubilee," formerly "a trumpet, ram's horn," lit. "ram." The original notion was of a year of emancipation of slaves and restoration of lands, to be celebrated every 50th year (Levit. xxv.9); it was proclaimed by the sounding of a ram's horn on the Day of Atonement. The Catholic Church sense of "a period for remission of sin penalties in exchange for pilgrimages, alms, etc." was begun in 1300 by Boniface VIII. The general sense of "season of rejoicing" is first recorded 1592, though through early 20c. the word kept its specific association with 50th anniversaries. As a type of African-American folk song, it is attested from 1872.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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