Karaite

American  

[kar-uh-ahyt] / ˈkær əˌaɪt /

noun

Judaism.

1. a member of a sect, founded in Persia in the 8th century a.d. by the religious leader Anan ben David, that rejected the Talmud and the teachings of the rabbis in favor of strict adherence to the Bible as the only source of Jewish law and practice.

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Karaite British  

/ ˈkɛərəˌaɪt /

noun

1. a member of a Jewish sect originating in the 8th century _ad , which rejected the Talmud, favoured strict adherence to and a literal interpretation of the Bible, and attempted to deduce a code of life from it

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating the Karaite sect

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Karaism
  noun
• Karaitism
  noun
• Karaitic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Karaite

1720–30; < Hebrew qarāʿ ( īm ) (equivalent to qarā Biblical scholar, literally, reader + īm plural suffix) + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

They said the project would harm the holy city’s historic character, desecrate a Karaite cemetery, and impact the lives and businesses of local residents.

From Seattle Times • May 15, 2022

Palestinian residents of east Jerusalem, environmentalists, urban planners, archaeologists and a small community from the Jewish Karaite sect had all lodged protests with the court in recent years.

From Seattle Times • May 15, 2022

The Avramoglus are members of Istanbul's tiny Karaite Jewish community of less than 100 people, who trace their roots in the city to the 12th century Byzantine era.

From Reuters • Oct. 29, 2014

Among the most famous of the Karaite authors was Benjamin Nahavendi, who lived at the beginning of the ninth century, and displayed much resolution and ability as an advocate of free-thought in religion.

From Chapters on Jewish Literature by Abrahams, Israel

The Karaite pointed out that Self-Defence was unnecessary in his case, as his sect was scarcely regarded by the authorities as Jewish.

From Ghetto Comedies by Zangwill, Israel