The term Sabbat has two totally different meanings:
• Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasa, Mabon, Litha, and Ostara are the eight main Wiccan festivals that celebrate the Wheel of the Year.
• The word used by witch-hunters to denote large gatherings of witches; further information may be found in CALENDAR: Sabbat and under entries for each holy day.
The most appropriate, neutral equivalent could be “witches' ball,” particularly because participants are characterized as dancing, eating, and generally rejoicing.
- Inquisition documents from Carcassonne and Toulouse in the fourteenth century seem to be the first to use the word sabbat to refer to the gathering of witches.
- The Sumerian shabbattu, "a soothing of the heart," was celebrated as a holiday every seventh day starting with the Full Moon celebration for the lunar god, from whence this idea migrated to Judaism.
- The term for witches was coined by Roman Catholic theologians to suggest that they were doomed heretics like Jews, and/or that Jews were witches.
Related to - Akelarre and Sabbat in the CALENDAR.
You may also want to read more about Paganism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on Religion here.