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

This was the year of bar and bat mitzvahs—my own, but also those of friends, relatives, Hebrew-school classmates and, it sometimes seemed, any passing acquaintance.

From The Wall Street Journal

June, for a bat mitzvah scene you memorized a complicated Torah portion.

From Los Angeles Times

She also reads Hebrew, had her bat mitzvah and, like her mom and dad, loves to roam the city.

From Los Angeles Times

She didn’t think she needed to take her children’s bat mitzvah album or any family photos.

From Los Angeles Times

At her daughter’s bat mitzvah last year, she reflected on her own celebration years before, and envisioned what it would be like to see her child’s future children there in years to come.

From Los Angeles Times