Abraham
Americannoun
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the first of the great Biblical patriarchs, father of Isaac, and traditional founder of the ancient Hebrew nation: considered by Muslims an ancestor of the Arab peoples through his son Ishmael.
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a first name: from a Hebrew word meaning “father of many.”
noun
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Old Testament the first of the patriarchs, the father of Isaac and the founder of the Hebrew people (Genesis 11–25)
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the place where the just repose after death (Luke 16:22)
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Abraham
First recorded before 1000; from Late Latin, from Greek Abraám, from Hebrew ʾabhrāhām, traditionally translated as “father of many nations, father of multitudes,” equivalent to ʾabh “father” + hamon “multitude,” or a variant of ʾabhram “high father, exalted father,” equivalent to ʾabh “father” + ram “high, exalted”
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In a message to the crew aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, Hegseth said: “We’re going to do everything we can for you. We are so grateful for the dedication of that crew and others.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Conditions have reportedly gotten particularly dire aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea since last year.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
The number of days the USS Abraham Lincoln hasn’t had a port call, a record.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Congressional Democrats demanded answers Wednesday about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports of food shortages, broken plumbing and mental health crises during the aircraft carrier's record-setting deployment.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
The Taylors’ family spirits even met celebrities in Summerland; one saw “John Brown walking arm and arm with Abraham Lincoln.”
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
