bat mitzvah

American  

[baht mits-vuh, bahs, baht meets-vah, bahs mits-vuh] / bɑt ˈmɪts və, bɑs, ˈbɑt mitsˈvɑ, bɑs ˈmɪts və /

Or bath mitzvah,

noun

(often initial capital letters)

1. a solemn ceremony, chiefly among Reform and Conservative Jews, that is held in the synagogue on Friday night or Saturday morning to admit formally as an adult member of the Jewish community a girl 12 to 13 years old.

2. the girl participating in this ceremony.

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verb (used with object)

1. to administer the ceremony of bat mitzvah to.

Bat Mitzvah British  

/ bɑːt ˈmɪtsvə /

adjective

1. (of a Jewish girl) having attained religious majority at the age of twelve

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noun

1. the date of, or, in some congregations, a ceremony marking, this event

2. the girl herself on that day

bat mitzvah Cultural  

1. An important ceremony and social event in Judaism marking the beginning of religious responsibility for Jewish girls; it is the less frequently observed counterpart of the bar mitzvah. Bat mitzvah is Hebrew for “daughter of the commandment.”

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Etymology

Origin of bat mitzvah

From Hebrew bath miṣwāh literally, “daughter of the divine law”

Compare meaning

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

• bar mitzvah vs. bat mitzvah

Example Sentences

There are scenes of Jewish holidays, birthdays, a bat mitzvah, a student recital and a medical scare.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

My kid has her bat mitzvah in February.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 26, 2025

If it’s your niece’s bat mitzvah, it’s suddenly like: Are you supposed to give $18,000 instead of $360?

From Barron's • Oct. 10, 2025

Kane stars in the film opposite Jason Schwartzman, who plays Ben, a depressed cantor who befriends Carla, his childhood music teacher, as he prepares her for her bat mitzvah.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2025

I took it for granted that she’d be at my bat mitzvah too.

From "A Place at the Table" by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan