Dictionary

shiva en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈʃɪvə/ (US)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Hebrew שִׁבְעָה (shiv'á, “seven”), referring to the number of days that shiva spans. The pronunciation is likely in part from Yiddish שבֿעה (shive).

Meanings

1. (Judaism, countable, uncountable) A weeklong period of formal mourning for a close relative.
   • Did you know that some parents sit shiva […] for 30 days if their child is discovered to be gay? 1974 February 2, “Jewish Gay Group”, in Gay Community News, volume 1, number 32, page 2:
   • “Mo Kellman lost his wife ten years ago.” “Does that mean the shiva is over?” 2014, Suri Rosen, Playing with Matches:
   • Seymour: Audrey, quick! We've got to do an emergency [flower] arrangement. […] Mr. Mushnik: The Shivas are our most important funereal account. A big, enormous family, they're dropping off like flies! 1986, Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film)

Forms

Deriveds

sit shiva

Translations (4)

yi שבֿעה (period of mourning) · he שִׁבְעָה (period of mourning) · pt shivá (period of mourning) · ru ши́ва (period of mourning)