(in the Bible) Jacob's eleventh son, the first of Jacob and his second wife, Rachel: sold into slavery by his brothers.
(in the Bible) the husband of Mary who was the mother of Jesus.
Hinmaton-yalaktit, c1840–1904, leader of the Nez Perce: led 1,000-mile (1,600-km) retreat from U.S. forces in an attempt to reach Canada in 1877.
joseph, a long coat buttoning in the front, worn especially by women as part of their riding habit in colonial America.
a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “increaser.”
Old Testament
the eleventh son of Jacob and one of the 12 patriarchs of Israel (Genesis 30:2–24)
either or both of two tribes descended from his sons Ephraim and Manasseh
New Testament the husband of Mary the mother of Jesus (Matthew 1:16–25). Feast day: Mar 19
perhaps from the story of Joseph and his long coat (Genesis 37:3)
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In his prime, Salieri was a solid songsmith, popular enough to secure a gig as court composer to Emperor Joseph II in Vienna.
From Salon • May 16, 2026
The percussive score by Joseph Shirley and Moses Sumney underlines this and gives the whole film an eerie, curious atmosphere, lending to a sense of unreality.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern on how Gorsuch fits into the current court, where he’s going next, and why he never took his job on the cafeteria committee seriously.
From Slate • May 13, 2026
On a rock overhang near his settlement, Salim Joseph, a 48-year-old Hadzabe community leader, watches workers pour concrete and install wire panels at a new school below.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
The only water around was in the bottles Baba Joseph had brought.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
