In Hebrew, the word Hanukkah (חֲנֻכָּה / חנוכה) literally means “dedication.”

Core meaning

  • The Hebrew word חנוכה comes from the root ח־נ־ך (ḥ–n–kh), which means “to dedicate” or “to inaugurate.”
  • The holiday is called Hanukkah because it marks the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its defilement during the Maccabean revolt.

Extra nuance in Hebrew

  • The same root appears in words like chinuch (חינוך), meaning “education” or “training,” hinting at the idea of initiating or dedicating a person or place to a purpose.
  • Some Hebrew scholars and teachers point out that Hanukkah can be understood as both a physical dedication of the Temple and a spiritual rededication of Jewish identity and practice.

Spelling and pronunciation notes

  • In Hebrew it is written חנוכה or חֲנֻכָּה and pronounced with a guttural kh sound at the start: Ḥa-nu-kah , not like English “cha” in “chair.”
  • English spellings such as “Hanukkah,” “Chanukah,” and others are all attempts to represent that Hebrew pronunciation using Latin letters.

TL;DR: In Hebrew, “Hanukkah” means “dedication,” referring to the rededication of the Temple and, by extension, a renewed dedication of the Jewish people to their faith.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.