Abraham

American  

[ey-bruh-ham, -huhm] / ˈeɪ brəˌhæm, -həm /

noun

1. 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.

2. a first name: from a Hebrew word meaning “father of many.”

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Abraham British  

/ ˈeɪbrəˌhæm, -həm /

noun

1. Old Testament the first of the patriarchs, the father of Isaac and the founder of the Hebrew people (Genesis 11–25)

2. the place where the just repose after death (Luke 16:22)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Abrahamic
  adjective

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”

Compare meaning

How does abraham compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Abram vs. Abraham

Example Sentences

Preservationists have criticized the plan as disrupting a sacred sightline between the memorials to Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee, designed as a statement of unity after the Civil War.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

In this way, it helps ensure what President Abraham Lincoln called “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”

From Slate • Jun. 3, 2026

Doha, which mediated between Israel and Hamas to end the Gaza war, has no plans to join the Abraham Accords.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

He is demanding that countries in the Middle East sign the Abraham Accords, potentially as a precondition External link to a deal to end the war.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

The real hero is Abraham Lincoln and the principles for which he lived—and died: freedom and equal rights for all Americans.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson