English vocabulary · B2
Sabbatical
/səˈbæt.ɪ.kəl/ · n., adj.
It means a long break from work — time to rest, study, or do something new. It is not a vacation. It is a planned time away.
Continue in the learning app for video lessons and review.
Example sentences
- The professor took a sabbatical to write her book.
- He returned from his sabbatical with new ideas.
Word origin and roots
from Hebrew
- shabbat — rest (from Hebrew)
Synonyms and nuances
- BREAK — a short stop from work (Short & everyday)
- LEAVE — approved time away (Official time off work)
- RETREAT — a quiet time away (Going away to rest or think)
Words with the same root
shabbat — rest
- Sabbath — the weekly day of rest
Lesson notes
Sabbatical. It means a long break from work — time to rest, study, or do something new. It is not a vacation. It is a planned time away.
Similar words are break, leave, and retreat. Use sabbatical when someone takes a long, planned time away from their regular work.
The professor took a sabbatical to write her book. He returned from his sabbatical with new ideas.
From Hebrew. Shabbat- means rest. One day every week for rest — then one year every seven. That long rest is a sabbatical.