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

Jew.

²

abbreviation

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 Word Forms

• 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

Classify me however you want—liberal/conservative, gentile/Jew—I am an American and will never be truly comfortable in any other place.

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Hours before the May 1960 opening of Amsterdam’s Anne Frank House, Otto Frank gazes at the empty annex where his family and four other Jews hid from the Nazis for more than two years.

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It simply did not matter whether one was born white or black, male or female, Jew or Gentile, in wedlock or out, eldest or youngest, or born to citizen parents or alien parents.

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As with other protests against the war, the boycott letter included Jewish signatories, exposing rifts among Jews in Israel and abroad.

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“They’re millionaires, these Jews!” he hears them say, as they careen with him to Gaza in a stolen car.

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