rabbi

¹ American  

[rab-ee] / ˈræb i /

noun

Ecclesiastical.

1. rabat.

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rabbi ² American  

[rab-ahy] / ˈræb aɪ /

noun

plural

rabbis

1. the chief religious official of a synagogue, trained usually in a theological seminary and duly ordained, who delivers the sermon at a religious service and performs ritualistic, pastoral, educational, and other functions in and related to the role of a spiritual leader of Judaism and the Jewish community.

2. a title of respect for a Jewish scholar or teacher.

3. a Jewish scholar qualified to rule on questions of Jewish law.

4. any of the Jewish scholars of the 1st to 6th centuries a.d. who contributed to the writing, editing, or compiling of the Talmud.

5. Slang. a personal patron or adviser, as in business.

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rabbi British  

/ ˈræbaɪ /

noun

1. (in Orthodox Judaism) a man qualified in accordance with traditional religious law to expound, teach, and rule in accordance with this law

2. the religious leader of a congregation; the minister of a synagogue

3. the early Jewish scholars whose teachings are recorded in the Talmud

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rabbi Cultural  

1. In Judaism, a teacher and leader of worship, usually associated with a synagogue.

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Etymology

Origin of rabbi¹

By alteration

Origin of rabbi¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English rabi (from Old French rab(b)i) from Late Latin rabbī, from Greek rhabbí, from Hebrew rabbī “my master” (rabh “master” + -ī “my”)

Example Sentences

The rabbis encouraged them, and they made the women and young people sing and play tambourines and timbrels to keep up their spirits .

From Literature

The rabbi of the Manchester synagogue where worshippers were killed in a knife attack has told of the fear and trauma he still feels.

From BBC

Specialised units were on the ground, including rabbis, search teams and dental experts equipped with mobile X-ray machines, they added.

From BBC

The first begins as a familiar sort of love-in-wartime drama, with an illicit relationship between the daughter of a rabbi and a German Jewish officer.

From The Wall Street Journal

He was especially close to his grandfather — a rabbi in Poland who built a successful career in waste management after immigrating to the U.S. — and to his Aunt Belle.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• priest
• teacher