kabbalah
or cab·a·la
[ kab-uh-luh, kuh-bah- ]
/ ˈkæb ə lə, kəˈbɑ- /
noun
a system of esoteric theosophy and theurgy developed by rabbis, reaching its peak about the 12th and 13th centuries, and influencing certain medieval and Renaissance Christian thinkers. It was based on a mystical method of interpreting Scripture by which initiates claimed to penetrate sacred mysteries. Among its central doctrines are: all creation is an emanation from the Deity and the soul exists from eternity.
any occult or secret doctrine or science.
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Also cab·ba·la, kab·a·la, kab·ba·la .
Origin of kabbalah
First recorded in 1515–25; from Medieval Latin cabbala, from Hebrew qabbālāh “tradition,” literally, “something received,” i.e., “handed down”; see also cabal
Words nearby kabbalah
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for kabbalah
British Dictionary definitions for kabbalah
kabbalah
kabbala, kabala, cabbala, cabala or qabalah
/ (kəˈbɑːlə) /
noun
an ancient Jewish mystical tradition based on an esoteric interpretation of the Old Testament
any secret or occult doctrine or science
Derived forms of kabbalah
kabbalism, kabalism, cabbalism, cabalism or qabalism (ˈkæbəˌlɪzəm), nounkabbalist, kabalist, cabbalist, cabalist or qabalist, nounkabbalistic, kabalistic, cabbalistic, cabalistic or qabalistic, adjectiveWord Origin for kabbalah
C16: from Medieval Latin, from Hebrew qabbālāh tradition, what is received, from qābal to receive
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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