Jew

¹

[ joo ]

noun

1. one of a scattered group of people that traces its descent from the Biblical Hebrews or from postexilic adherents of Judaism; Israelite.
2. a person whose religion is Judaism.
3. a subject of the ancient kingdom of Judah.

adjective

1. Offensive. of Jews; Jewish.

verb (used with object)

1. jew, Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. to bargain sharply with; beat down in price (often followed by down ).

Jew.

²

abbreviation for

1. Jewish.

Jew

/ dʒuː /

noun

1. a member of the Semitic people who claim descent from the ancient Hebrew people of Israel, are spread throughout the world, and are linked by cultural or religious ties
2. a person whose religion is Judaism

Sensitive Note

While both the adjective and the verb were once used in a neutral way by Jews and non-Jews, they are now considered problematic and offensive. The adjectival use of Jew, as in the phrase Jew boy, is perceived as insulting; the adjective Jewish should be used instead. The verb jew (down) is also perceived as offensive and antisemitic, because it perpetuates the stereotype of the shrewd Jewish moneylender or haggler.

Other Words From

• non-Jew noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Jew¹

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English jewe, giu, gyu, ju, from Old French juiu, juieu, gyu, from Late Latin judēus, Latin jūdaeus, from Greek ioudaîos, from Aramaic yehūdāi, from Hebrew Yəhūdhī, derivative of Yəhūdhāh Judah; replacing Old English iūdēas “Jews,” from Late Latin jūdē(us) + Old English -as, a plural ending

Word History and Origins

Origin of Jew¹

C12: from Old French juiu, from Latin jūdaeus, from Greek ioudaios, from Hebrew yehūdī, from yehūdāh Judah

Example Sentences

The Board of Deputies of British Jews described the initial ban as "an overt act of discrimination against Israeli participants".

From BBC

When Jews were kidnapped for the Holocaust during WWII, it was common for their Christian neighbors to ransack their homes, stealing everything and enriching themselves.

From Salon

In stark contrast to the antisemitic Nixon, Carter prioritized the rights of Soviet Jews facing antisemitism when shaping his Cold War policies.

From Salon

He angered conservatives and some liberals by advocating negotiations with autocrats — and his criticism of Israeli leaders and support for Palestinian self-determination angered many Jews.

From Los Angeles Times

Many Jews and others were angered by his 2006 book, “Palestine Peace Not Apartheid,” which they saw as painting Israel as an aggressor and being overly sympathetic to Palestinians.

From Los Angeles Times