yontif

Alternative Spellings

yontef, yomtov, yomtev, yontev, yom tov

Definitions

• a Jewish holiday, especially one on which work is prohibited (in contrast to chol hamoed)

Example Sentences

• "Where will you be for yontef?"

Languages of Origin

Textual Hebrew, Yiddish

Etymology

Heb יום טוב yom tov 'lit. good day; holiday', Yiddish יום־טובֿ yóntev

Who Uses This

Religious: Jews who are engaged in religious observance and have some Jewish education
Ashkenazim: Jews with Ashkenazi heritage

Regions

North America

Dictionaries

The New Joys of Yiddish, by Leo Rosten and Lawrence Bush (New York, 2003[1968]).
Yiddish and English: A Century of Yiddish in America, by Sol Steinmetz (Tuscaloosa, 1986).
The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001).
The Joys of Hebrew, by Lewis Glinert (New York, 1992).

Notes

More common among Orthodox Jews.