Jewish

American  

[joo-ish] / ˈdʒu ɪʃ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Jews or Judaism.

   Jewish customs.

2. Informal. Yiddish.

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noun

1. Informal. Yiddish.

Jewish British  

/ ˈdʒuːɪʃ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Jews

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noun

1. a less common word for Yiddish

Other Word Forms

• Jewishly adverb
• Jewishness noun
• anti-Jewish adjective
• half-Jewish adjective
• non-Jewish adjective
• pre-Jewish adjective
• pro-Jewish adjective

Etymology

Origin of Jewish

1540–50; Jew + -ish ¹; compare Old English iudēisc < Late Latin iudē ( us ) Jew + Old English -isc -ish ¹

Compare meaning

How does jewish compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• goyish vs. Jewish

Example Sentences

After the attack, police patrols were stepped up in areas with large Jewish communities.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

The new effort, which builds on £73.4m already committed for protective security at Jewish, Muslim and other faith sites for 2026-27, will initially focus on policing in communities, particularly faith communities, across London and Manchester.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

"I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person."

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Jewish history tells the stories of those who tried and failed to eliminate Judaism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

“Yes, Tía. Writing makes me feel better. And, you know, my favorite poet is Qasmuna—she was a Jewish woman too, though she wrote in Arabic.”

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar