Jump To:

• dayan
  dayan

  noun

  a judge in a Jewish religious court.
• Dayan
  Dayan

  noun

  Moshe 1915–81, Israeli politician and military leader: defense minister 1967–74, foreign minister 1977–79.

dayan

¹ American  

[dah-yahn, dah-yawn] / dɑˈjɑn, dɑˈjɔn /

noun

Hebrew.

• dayanim
  plural

1. a judge in a Jewish religious court.

2. a person knowledgeable in Talmudic law whose advice on religious questions is often sought by rabbis.

---

Dayan ² American  

[dah-yahn] / dɑˈjɑn /

noun

1. Moshe 1915–81, Israeli politician and military leader: defense minister 1967–74, foreign minister 1977–79.

---

Dayan ¹ British  

/ daɪˈjɑːn /

noun

1. Moshe (ˈmɒʃɛ). 1915–81, Israeli soldier and statesman; minister of defence (1967; 1969–74) and foreign minister (1977–79)

---

dayan ² British  

/ dɑˈjɑn, ˈdɑjən /

noun

1. Judaism a senior rabbi, esp one who sits in a religious court

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dayanim
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dayan

dayyān judge

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dayan Dayan

“Baruch dayan ha’emet,” Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt began the memorial service.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 23, 2020

At last she said, “Chosen. Yesterday. Boruch dayan ernes.”

From "The Devil's Arithmetic" by Jane Yolen

“We’re not coming to educate about the Holocaust in order to fight antisemitism, strengthen German democracy, liberalism, tolerance and peace-seeking policies, but will it help? I have no doubt about it,” Dayan said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

Dayan also argued that the relationship has never been one-sided.

From Barron's ● May 16, 2026

“Whether it’s the city of Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica or Malibu, they all have their own permitting guidelines,” Dayan said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 21, 2025

But Mark Dayan, a policy expert at the Nuffield Trust, says it takes time to improve things.

From BBC ● Dec. 9, 2024

"What is it, a ritual question?" asked the Dayan from his place.

From Yiddish Tales by Various