Jew

[ joo ]

/ dʒu /

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noun

one of a scattered group of people that traces its descent from the Biblical Hebrews or from postexilic adherents of Judaism; Israelite.

a person whose religion is Judaism.

a subject of the ancient kingdom of Judah.

adjective

Offensive. of Jews; Jewish.

verb (used with object)

(lowercase)Offensive. to bargain sharply with; beat down in price (often followed by down).

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Origin of Jew

1125–75; Middle English jewe, giu, gyu, ju<Old French juiu, juieu, gyu<Late Latin judēus,Latin jūdaeus<Greek ioudaîos<Aramaic yehūdāi<Hebrew Yəhūdhī, derivative of YəhūdhāhJudah; replacing Old English iūdēas Jews <Late Latin jūdē(us) + Old English -as plural ending

usage note for Jew

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

OTHER WORDS FROM Jew

non-Jew, noun

Words nearby Jew

jeune premier, jeune première, jeunesse dorée, jeux d'esprit, Jevons, Jew, Jew-baiting, jewel, jewel block, jewel box, jewel case

Other definitions for Jew (2 of 2)

Jew.

abbreviation

Jewish.

How to use Jew in a sentence

But the enemy of the new emirs is neither the Jew nor the Christian, it is the godless militant defending secularism.
Houellebecq’s Incendiary Novel Imagines France With a Muslim President|Pierre Assouline|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Marrying another Jew was not just a personal simcha (joy), but one for the community.
My Week on Jewish Tinder|Emily Shire|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
An Australian woman in her late twenties told me she was an “honorary Jew” with no actual Jewish heritage.
I Ate Potato Pancakes Til I Plotzed|Emily Shire|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the book, there is a real guy named Gadbeck who was a German Jew who lived in Berlin the whole time during World War II.
How The Cold War Endgame Played Out In The Rubble Of The Berlin Wall|William O’Connor|November 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

To me, being a Jew carries a low-grade paranoia that is both an overreaction and entirely justified, based on history.
Gaza, You're No Good For My Marriage|Josh Robin|August 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was crowned by a wide-brimmed bowler hat which the man wore pressed down upon his ears like a Jew pedlar.
Dope|Sax Rohmer
He had no other opportunity; for the Jew remained very surly and silent till night, when he prepared to go abroad.
Oliver Twist, Vol. II (of 3)|Charles Dickens
You may burn a candle, said the Jew, putting one upon the table; and heres a book for you to read till they come to fetch you.
Oliver Twist, Vol. II (of 3)|Charles Dickens
Here, said Toby, as the young Jew placed some fragments of food and a bottle upon the table, Success to the crack!
Oliver Twist, Vol. II (of 3)|Charles Dickens
The Jew was no sooner alone, than his countenance resumed its former expression of anxiety and thought.
Oliver Twist, Vol. II (of 3)|Charles Dickens

British Dictionary definitions for Jew

Jew

/ (dʒuː) /

noun

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

a person whose religion is Judaism

Word Origin for Jew

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012