Pronunciation: ' shä-m ə s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural sham · mo · sim \ shä- ' mo ̇ -s ə m \
Etymology: Yiddish shames, from Late Hebrew sh ā mm ā sh
Date: 1650
1 : the sexton of a synagogue
2 : the candle or taper used to light the other candles in a Hanukkah menorah