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n. The week-long period of mourning after the death of a relative, during which close relatives stay at home and greet visitors.
"The Feingolds can't come to our party, they're sitting shiva."
Record a Sentence
Heb שבעה shivá, Yiddish שיבֿעה shíve; זיצן שיבֿעה zitsn shive 'to sit shiva, observe the seven days of mourning'
shiva
"sit shiva" and "shiva call" are common phrases.
Mourners traditionally sit on low stools during this time, so someone in mourning is said to be 'sitting shiva'.
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