sabbath

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

Sabbath’s story begins in Hebrew: shabbat meant “rest, the day of rest.” From "shabat" (to rest), the seventh day of rest. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Greek as sabbaton. Hebrew 'shabbat', rest, the seventh day of the creation story. From there it passed into Latin as sabbatum by ancient. Carried through Christian scripture and liturgy. It reached English by medieval as sabbath. Settled as the English name for the weekly day of rest and worship. Today, sabbath means a day of rest and religious observance, kept weekly by Jews and some Christians.

1. Stage 1 · Hebrew · ancient shabbat "rest, the day of rest", from "shabat" (to rest), the seventh day of rest.
2. Stage 2 · Greek · ancient sabbaton "the day of rest", Hebrew 'shabbat', rest, the seventh day of the creation story.
3. Stage 3 · Latin · ancient sabbatum "the day of rest", carried through Christian scripture and liturgy.
4. Stage 4 · English · medieval sabbath "a day of rest and worship", settled as the English name for the weekly day of rest and worship.