Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

shamash

/ʃəˈmæʃ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.64 in modern English

Syllables: shamash
IPA: /ʃəˈmæʃ/

15

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

name

The sun god and god of justice in Babylonia and Assyria, corresponding to Sumerian Utu.

noun

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

noun

A sexton in a synagogue.

Example Sentences

"The candelabras lit on Hanukkah are technically called hanukkiahs. They have eight candles plus one more, a shamash, that is used for lighting the others."
"Until 1890, when the local Chevra Kadisha (a traditional Jewish funerary society) was set up, funeral services were performed by the shamashim, the beadles of the synagogues."

Etymology

From Akkadian Šamaš, ultimately from Proto-Semitic *śamš-. Compare shin.

Origin

Source language: Hebrew

Word Breakdown

Root: שַׁמָּשׁ

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /ʃəˈmæʃ/

Inflected Forms

Šamaš (alternative) shamashim (plural) shamashes (plural) shames (alternative) shamos (alternative) shammes (alternative) shammos (alternative)

Rhymes With

cash crash flash trash ash smash dash clash splash nash bash rash

Questions

How do you pronounce shamash?: The recorded pronunciation is /ʃəˈmæʃ/.
What does shamash mean?: The sun god and god of justice in Babylonia and Assyria, corresponding to Sumerian Utu.
Where does shamash come from?: It is traced to Hebrew.

How to pronounce shamash

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “shamash”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ʃəˈmæʃ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “shamash”.
Repeat and practice — Say “shamash” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.