adj. & n.
adj. 1 of or appropriate to the sabbath. 2 (of leave) granted at intervals to a university teacher for study or travel, orig. every seventh year.
n. a period of sabbatical leave. sabbatical year 1 Bibl. every seventh year, prescribed by the Mosaic law to be observed as a 'sabbath', during which the land was allowed to rest. 2 a year's sabbatical leave. sabbatically adv.
[ LL sabbaticus f. Gk sabbatikos of the sabbath ]