- Jewish holy day - A Jewish festival, called also the Feast of Lots, instituted
to commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from the machinations of
Haman.
- Christian festival - A solemn festival of the Jews; -- so called because
celebrated on the fiftieth day (seven weeks) after the second day of
the Passover (which fell on the sixteenth of the Jewish month Nisan);
-- hence called, also, the Feast of Weeks. At this festival an offering
of the first fruits of the harvest was made. By the Jews it was
generally regarded as commemorative of the gift of the law on the
fiftieth day after the departure from Egypt. - A festival of the Roman Catholic and other churches in
commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles; which
occurred on the day of Pentecost; -- called also Whitsunday.