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

• 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

See Examples For:

Abraham

Take the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which returned to port in Thailand in early September after nine months at sea.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

Before landing in Thailand for a brief respite early this month, the USS Abraham Lincoln had spent a record 9½ months at sea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

There has been no immediate reaction from Abraham and Szor.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Similarly, many of the revelations in “NAZA,” from “No Other Land” Oscar winners Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, were reported in producer The Guardian in the course of filming.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

As he sat in the theatre's presidential box facing the stage, Abraham Lincoln had no special protection.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow