Ezra
Americannoun
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a Jewish scribe and prophet of the 5th century b.c., who with Nehemiah led the revival of Judaism in Palestine.
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a book of the Bible bearing his name. Ezr.
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a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “help.”
noun
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a Jewish priest of the 5th century bc , who was sent from Babylon by the Persian king Artaxerxes I to reconstitute observance of the Jewish law and worship in Jerusalem after the captivity
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the book recounting his efforts to perform this task
Etymology
Origin of Ezra
From Late Latin Ezras, ulimately from Hebrew ʿezrā “help”
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.
EOG CEO Ezra Yacob said petroleum stockpiles are being depleted and it would take “a while” to refill them to healthy levels.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
Ezra Klein, the center-left New York Times columnist who is not particularly close to Piker’s politics, defended him against the antisemitism charges.
From Salon • May 2, 2026
Ezra Klein’s bestselling book didn’t seek to answer why democracy is dying, but Why We’re Polarized.
From Slate • May 1, 2026
The decorated gymnast and two-time Olympian recently competed in the latest season of “Dancing With the Stars,” finishing in third place alongside her partner Ezra Sosa.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026
One of the physicians in the room, Dr. Ezra Abbott, makes notes on Lincoln’s condition: 6:30—still failing and labored breathing.
From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly
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.
