benjamin
1 Americannoun
noun
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(in the Bible) the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, and the brother of Joseph.
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one of the 12 tribes of ancient Israel, traditionally descended from him.
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Asher, 1773–1845, U.S. architect and writer.
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Judah Philip, 1811–84, Confederate statesman.
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a first name: from a Hebrew word meaning “son of the right.”
noun
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Old Testament
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the youngest and best-loved son of Jacob and Rachel (Genesis 35:16–18; 42:4)
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the tribe descended from this patriarch
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the territory of this tribe, northwest of the Dead Sea
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archaic a youngest and favourite son
noun
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Arthur . 1893–1960, Australian composer. In addition to Jamaican Rumba (1938), he wrote five operas and a harmonica concerto (1953)
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Walter (ˈvaltər). 1892–1940, German critic and cultural theorist
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of benjamin
1570–80; alteration (by association with the proper name) of benjoin, early form of benzoin 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
My son benjamin and I appeared twice on The Martha Stewart Show to talk about the family company, Divvies.
From Inc ● Dec. 8, 2011
As the bouncy benjamin of N.C.'s children, Andy enjoyed a special freedom from responsibility.
From Time Magazine Archive
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They also pronounce some prayers, anoint themselves with sweet-scented oils, and smoke the entrance of the cavern with gum- benjamin.
From Domestic Pleasures, or, the Happy Fire-side by Vaux, Frances Bowyer
Benzoin, ben′zō-in, or -zoin, n. gum benjamin, the aromatic and resinous juice of the Styrax Benzoin of Java and Sumatra.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Quick, my friend; light with all convenient haste the altar on which we will burn again the incense and benjamin of friendship.
From Le Morvan, [A District of France,] Its Wild Sports, Vineyards and Forests; with Legends, Antiquities, Rural and Local Sketches by Jesse, William
Oil futures fell for a third straight session on Tuesday, with global prices settling at their lowest in about two weeks, as Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Prior to Alphabet’s announcement, Deutsche Bank analyst Benjamin Black wrote: “We think there were limited expectations for Meta to increase its current 2026 guidance of $125 to $145 billion,” in a note last week.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to act "with full force against the terrorists and those who orchestrate and sponsor them".
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
“It was a surprise,” said Benjamin Roth, a professor at the University of South Carolina College of Social Work and an expert on the agreement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
Famous speakers and artists such as George Washington Carver, Benjamin Mays, Paul Robeson, and Marian Anderson came to our campus.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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The Dove-Laners had been heavily thrashed: their benjamins and kicksies had been impounded in Meakin Street, and they had ceased from buying.
From A Child of the Jago by Morrison, Arthur
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.