feast of weeks
C2Formal, religious
Definition
Meaning
A Jewish religious festival that occurs seven weeks (50 days) after Passover.
A religious celebration marking the wheat harvest and the giving of the Torah; also known as Pentecost or Shavuot.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This is a fixed, historical term referring specifically to the Jewish holiday. It is not used metaphorically in general English.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The term is equally formal and specialized in both varieties.
Connotations
Biblical, historical, Jewish religious context.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language; found almost exclusively in religious, historical, or academic texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [Jews/Israelites] celebrated the feast of weeks.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Usage
Context Usage
Academic
Used in theological, historical, and religious studies contexts.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation outside of specific religious communities.
Technical
A technical term in Judeo-Christian religious studies.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The community will feast-of-weeks this coming Sunday.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The Feast of Weeks is an important Jewish holiday.
- According to the Torah, the Feast of Weeks is a pilgrimage festival marking the end of the barley harvest.
- The theological significance of the Feast of Weeks, which commemorates the giving of the Law, is profound.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: a FEAST that happens after counting the WEEKS (seven of them) from Passover.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SPIRITUAL HARVEST (receiving divine law as a harvest of wisdom).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid a direct calque like 'пир недель'. The correct Russian term is 'Шавуот' or 'Пятидесятница' (in the Jewish context).
Common Mistakes
- Using it to refer to any lengthy celebration ('Their wedding was a real feast of weeks').
Practice
Quiz
What does the 'Feast of Weeks' primarily commemorate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They share the same Greek name ('Pentecost' meaning 'fiftieth day') and occur at the same time, but they are distinct holidays. The Christian feast celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit, while the Jewish Feast of Weeks commemorates the giving of the Torah.
No, it is a highly specialized religious term. In general conversation, you would use 'Shavuot' within a Jewish context or explain it as 'the Jewish holiday of Shavuot'.
It is called this because its date is calculated by counting seven weeks (a 'week of weeks') from the second day of Passover.
No, there is no standard verb form derived from this noun phrase. It is only used as a proper noun.