Ezra

American  

[ez-ruh] / ˈɛz rə /

noun

1. a Jewish scribe and prophet of the 5th century b.c., who with Nehemiah led the revival of Judaism in Palestine.

2. a book of the Bible bearing his name. Ezr.

3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “help.”

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Ezra British  

/ ˈɛzrə /

noun

1. a Jewish priest of the 5th century _bc , who was sent from Babylon by the Persian king Artaxerxes I to reconstitute observance of the Jewish law and worship in Jerusalem after the captivity

2. the book recounting his efforts to perform this task

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Etymology

Origin of Ezra

From Late Latin Ezras, ulimately from Hebrew ʿezrā “help”

Example Sentences

By 1950 Operations Ezra and Nehemiah began, airlifting 120,000 Jews—90% of the community—to Israel.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

She was followed by jazz band Ezra Collective, who are notorious for creating a vibe at festivals, and they did not let the crowd down.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

Function also acquired Ezra, a maker of diagnostic scans, last year.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

Ezra Klein, the center-left New York Times columnist who is not particularly close to Piker’s politics, defended him against the antisemitism charges.

From Salon • May 2, 2026

One of the physicians in the room, Dr. Ezra Abbott, makes notes on Lincoln’s condition: 6:30—still failing and labored breathing.

From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly