shammes

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sham·mes

 (shä′məs)
n. pl. sham·mo·sim (shä-mô′sĭm)

[Yiddish shames, from Hebrew šammāš; see shamash.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

shammes

(ˈʃɑːməs; Hebrew ʃaˈmaʃ) or

shammash

n, pl shammosim or shammashim (Hebrew ʃaˈmɔsɪm)
1. (Judaism) an official acting as the beadle, sexton, and caretaker of a synagogue
2. (Judaism) the extra candle used on the Feast of Hanukkah to kindle the lamps or candles of the menorah
[from Hebrew shāmmāsh, from Aramaic shĕmāsh to serve]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

sham•mes

or sha•mes

(ˈʃɑ məs)

n., pl. sham•mo•sim or sha•mo•sim (ʃɑˈmɔ sɪm)
2. the candle used to kindle the other candles in the Hanukkah menorah.
[1945–50; < Yiddish shames < Hebrew shammāsh server, attendant]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in periodicals archive ?
She lights the shammash with a match, shares its flame with all the
When a child is born, at any time of the day or night, the Zghair knows and immediately tells the shammash what name to enter in the community register.