סילבסטר

Hebrew

Etymology

Borrowed from German Silvester, ultimately from Latin Sylvester.

Proper noun

סִילְבֶסְטֶר • (silvéster) m

1. a male given name, equivalent to English Sylvester
2. Saint Sylvester's Day, (Gregorian) New Year's

   Synonym: נובי גוד

Usage notes

• In Israel the term is applied to the Gregorian New Year, to distinguish it from Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The term is also sometimes used disparagingly by and towards diaspora Jews to discourage participation in Gregorian New Year's celebrations, by associating it with a Christian holiday and figure.