Definition of "sabbatical year" [sabbatical year]

• A leave of absence, often with pay, usually granted every seventh year, as to a college professor, for travel, research, or rest. (noun)
• A year during which land remained fallow, observed every seven years by the ancient Jews. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Various meanings have been assigned to the Feast of Trumpets; but there seems to be no sufficient reason to call in question the common opinion of Jews and Christians, that if was the festival of the New Year's day of the civil year, the first of Tisri, the month which commenced the sabbatical year and the year of jubilee."
• "Of the observance of the sabbatical year after the captivity we have a proof in 1 Macc."