jubilee

Where does the word "jubilee" come from? It comes from Hebrew yobel, passing through Greek and Latin before entering English (medieval).

Jubilee’s story begins in Hebrew: yobel meant “a ram's horn trumpet.” Meaning "a ram's horn trumpet", used to announce a special anniversary year. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Greek as iobelaios. From Hebrew 'yobel', the ram's horn blown to start the fiftieth year, when debts were cancelled. From there it passed into Latin as iubilaeus by ancient. Reshaped by association with "iubilare" (to shout for joy). It reached English by medieval as jubilee. Settled as the English word for a special anniversary celebration. Today, jubilee means a special anniversary celebration, especially marking 25 or 50 years.

1. Stage 1 · Hebrew · ancient yobel "a ram's horn trumpet", meaning "a ram's horn trumpet", used to announce a special anniversary year.
2. Stage 2 · Greek · ancient iobelaios "the year of celebration", from Hebrew 'yobel', the ram's horn blown to start the fiftieth year, when debts were cancelled.
3. Stage 3 · Latin · ancient iubilaeus "a year of celebration", reshaped by association with "iubilare" (to shout for joy).
4. Stage 4 · English · medieval jubilee "a special anniversary celebration", settled as the English word for a special anniversary celebration.