dreidel

Meaning

Noun

• A four-sided spinning top, inscribed with the four Hebrew letters נ, ג, ה, and ש (or פ) on each side, often used to play a traditional game during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
• A gambling game played using this top.

Origin

• Borrowed from Yiddish דריידל, probably a . דרייען is derived from Old High German drāen, from Proto-Germanic *þrēaną, from Proto-Indo-European *terh₁-; and טרענדל is derived from Middle High German trendel, from Proto-Germanic *trandijaną.