Hebrew

American  

[hee-broo] / ˈhi bru /

noun

1. a member of the Semitic peoples inhabiting ancient Palestine and claiming descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; an Israelite.

2. a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic family, the language of the ancient Hebrews, which, although not in a vernacular use from 100 b.c. to the 20th century, was retained as the scholarly and liturgical language of Jews and is now the national language of Israel. Heb

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adjective

1. Hebraic.

2. noting or pertaining to the script developed from the Aramaic and early Hebraic alphabets, used since about the 3rd century b.c. for the writing of Hebrew, and later for Yiddish, Ladino, and other languages.

Hebrew British  

/ ˈhiːbruː /

noun

1. the ancient language of the Hebrews, revived as the official language of Israel. It belongs to the Canaanitic branch of the Semitic subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages

2. a member of an ancient Semitic people claiming descent from Abraham; an Israelite

3. archaic a Jew

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adjective

1. of or relating to the Hebrews or their language

2. archaic Jewish

Hebrew Cultural  

1. The language of the Hebrews, in which the Old Testament was written. It is the language of the modern state of Israel.

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Other Word Forms

• non-Hebrew noun
• pre-Hebrew adjective

Etymology

Origin of Hebrew

before 1000; Middle English Hebreu, variant (with H- < Latin ) of Ebreu < Old French < Medieval Latin Ebrēus for Latin Hebraeus < Late Greek Hebraîos < Aramaic ʿIbhraij; replacing Old English Ebrēas (plural) < Medieval Latin Ebrēī

Example Sentences

He speaks Portuguese, Spanish, Hebrew, and English and holds a finance degree from Boston University.

From The Wall Street Journal

He spent a year studying Middle Eastern history and culture at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

From The Wall Street Journal

In late 2023, as he prepared to release “Vultures 1,” he wrote on Instagram in Hebrew that “I deeply regret any pain I may have caused.”

From The Wall Street Journal

I am fortunate Mother comes from a family of book printers and has taught me to read and write in Hebrew and Spanish.

From Literature

Yizkor, which in Hebrew means “may God remember,” refers to the Jewish memorial prayer for the dead.

From The Wall Street Journal