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.
Phrases and idioms:
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.
Derivatives:
sabbatically adv.
Etymology: LL sabbaticus f. Gk sabbatikos of the sabbath