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• Joseph
  Joseph

  noun

  (in the Bible) Jacob's eleventh son, the first of Jacob and his second wife, Rachel: sold into slavery by his brothers.
• joseph
  joseph

  noun

  a woman's floor-length riding coat with a small cape, worn esp in the 18th century

Joseph

American  

[joh-zuhf, -suhf] / ˈdʒoʊ zəf, -səf /

noun

1. (in the Bible) Jacob's eleventh son, the first of Jacob and his second wife, Rachel: sold into slavery by his brothers.

2. (in the Bible) the husband of Mary who was the mother of Jesus.

3. Hinmaton-yalaktit, c1840–1904, leader of the Nez Perce: led 1,000-mile (1,600-km) retreat from U.S. forces in an attempt to reach Canada in 1877.

4. joseph, a long coat buttoning in the front, worn especially by women as part of their riding habit in colonial America.

5. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “increaser.”

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Joseph ¹ British  

/ ˈdʒəʊzɪf /

noun

1. Old Testament

   1. the eleventh son of Jacob and one of the 12 patriarchs of Israel (Genesis 30:2–24)

   2. either or both of two tribes descended from his sons Ephraim and Manasseh

2. New Testament the husband of Mary the mother of Jesus (Matthew 1:16–25). Feast day: Mar 19

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joseph ² British  

/ ˈdʒəʊzɪf /

noun

1. a woman's floor-length riding coat with a small cape, worn esp in the 18th century

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Etymology

Origin of joseph

perhaps from the story of Joseph and his long coat (Genesis 37:3)

Example Sentences

The reply might be right, but it might not capture the full story – such as Joseph Swan’s parallel invention at the same time as Edison’s.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

Crucially, CEO Joseph Dominguez seemed to confirm that Constellation is on track to restart a unit at the Crane Clean Energy Center by 2027.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

But Wardley - who won the WBO 'interim' title by beating Joseph Parker before being elevated to full champion when Usyk vacated the belt - dismissed suggestions Dubois' resume would give him an edge.

From BBC • May 8, 2026

“The world has changed,” Morgan Stanley’s Joseph Moore wrote as he considered how investors have become much more swayed by CPU results than in the past.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

Baba Joseph always worried that he had not left enough food and water for his animals, but now he could relax.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer