Jew

¹

[ joo ]

noun

1. one of a scattered group of people that traces its descent from the Biblical Hebrews or from postexilic adherents of Judaism; Israelite.
2. a person whose religion is Judaism.
3. a subject of the ancient kingdom of Judah.

adjective

1. Offensive. of Jews; Jewish.

verb (used with object)

1. jew, Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. to bargain sharply with; beat down in price (often followed by down ).

Jew.

²

abbreviation for

1. Jewish.

Jew

/ dʒuː /

noun

1. a member of the Semitic people who claim descent from the ancient Hebrew people of Israel, are spread throughout the world, and are linked by cultural or religious ties
2. a person whose religion is Judaism

Sensitive Note

While both the adjective and the verb were once used in a neutral way by Jews and non-Jews, they are now considered problematic and offensive. The adjectival use of Jew, as in the phrase Jew boy, is perceived as insulting; the adjective Jewish should be used instead. The verb jew (down) is also perceived as offensive and antisemitic, because it perpetuates the stereotype of the shrewd Jewish moneylender or haggler.

Other Words From

• non-Jew noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Jew¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English jewe, giu, gyu, ju, from Old French juiu, juieu, gyu, from Late Latin judēus, Latin jūdaeus, from Greek ioudaîos, from Aramaic yehūdāi, from Hebrew Yəhūdhī, derivative of Yəhūdhāh Judah; replacing Old English iūdēas “Jews,” from Late Latin jūdē(us) + Old English -as, a plural ending

Word History and Origins

Origin of Jew¹

C12: from Old French juiu, from Latin jūdaeus, from Greek ioudaios, from Hebrew yehūdī, from yehūdāh Judah

Example Sentences

But the enemy of the new emirs is neither the Jew nor the Christian, it is the godless militant defending secularism.

From The Daily Beast

Marrying another Jew was not just a personal simcha (joy), but one for the community.

From The Daily Beast

An Australian woman in her late twenties told me she was an “honorary Jew” with no actual Jewish heritage.

From The Daily Beast

In the book, there is a real guy named Gadbeck who was a German Jew who lived in Berlin the whole time during World War II.

From The Daily Beast

To me, being a Jew carries a low-grade paranoia that is both an overreaction and entirely justified, based on history.

From The Daily Beast

It was crowned by a wide-brimmed bowler hat which the man wore pressed down upon his ears like a Jew pedlar.

From Project Gutenberg

He had no other opportunity; for the Jew remained very surly and silent till night, when he prepared to go abroad.

From Project Gutenberg

You may burn a candle, said the Jew, putting one upon the table; and heres a book for you to read till they come to fetch you.

From Project Gutenberg

Here, said Toby, as the young Jew placed some fragments of food and a bottle upon the table, Success to the crack!

From Project Gutenberg

The Jew was no sooner alone, than his countenance resumed its former expression of anxiety and thought.

From Project Gutenberg