Abraham

American  

[ey-bruh-ham, -huhm] / ˈeɪ brəˌhæm, -həm /

noun

1. the first of the great Biblical patriarchs, father of Isaac, and traditional founder of the ancient Hebrew nation: considered by Muslims an ancestor of the Arab peoples through his son Ishmael.

2. a first name: from a Hebrew word meaning “father of many.”

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Abraham British  

/ ˈeɪbrəˌhæm, -həm /

noun

1. Old Testament the first of the patriarchs, the father of Isaac and the founder of the Hebrew people (Genesis 11–25)

2. the place where the just repose after death (Luke 16:22)

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Other Word Forms

• Abrahamic adjective

Etymology

Origin of Abraham

First recorded before 1000; from Late Latin, from Greek Abraám, from Hebrew ʾabhrāhām, traditionally translated as “father of many nations, father of multitudes,” equivalent to ʾabh “father” + hamon “multitude,” or a variant of ʾabhram “high father, exalted father,” equivalent to ʾabh “father” + ram “high, exalted”

Compare meaning

How does abraham compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Abram vs. Abraham

Example Sentences

Analysts suggested it was too early to tell the impact of the war on Israel's relationship with Gulf countries, and Netanyahu's desire to expand the Abraham Accords.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Edna Ben Jacob was born on Dec. 28, 1937, to Abraham and Rivka Ben Jacob in Haifa, a city in what is now Israel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Local South Asian communities will be invited to learn more about Abraham Sharp, who was born in Little Horton in 1653 and studied at Bradford Grammar School.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Not every man has the rhetorical gifts of Abraham Lincoln, but every one of us can avoid going straight to our political soapboxes and thereby diminishing the human tragedy before us.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Actress Laura Keene’s knowledge of the theater’s layout enabled her to bypass the audience and crowds that stood between her and Abraham Lincoln.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson