Marrano

American  

[muh-rah-noh] / məˈrɑ noʊ /

noun

• Marranos
  plural

1. a Spanish or Portuguese Jew who was converted to Christianity during the late Middle Ages, usually under threat of death or persecution, especially one who continued to adhere to Judaism in secret.

---

Marrano British  

/ məˈrɑːnəʊ /

noun

1. a Spanish or Portuguese Jew of the late Middle Ages who was converted to Christianity, esp one forcibly converted but secretly adhering to Judaism

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Marranos
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of Marrano

< Spanish: literally, pig, from the Jewish law forbidding the eating of pork (probably < Arabic maḥram forbidden)

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Marrano Marranos

Manasseh ben Israel was born in Lisbon of Marrano parents, who emigrated to Amsterdam a few years after their son's birth.

From Chapters on Jewish Literature by Israel Abrahams

With equal force it dominated the being of Solomon Molcho, the enthusiastic youth who, at one time a Marrano, on his public return to Judaism proclaimed the speedy regeneration of Israel.

From Jewish History : an essay in the philosophy of history by S. M. (Simon Markovich) Dubnow

A decade later a similar attempt was made by Fernando Mendes da Costa, one of the founders of the Anglo-Jewish Community, and a member of a very distinguished Portuguese Marrano family.

From Notes on the Diplomatic History of the Jewish Question by Lucien Wolf

Portugal fell to a Marrano physician who had escaped from the Inquisition.

From Dreamers of the Ghetto by Israel Zangwill

Burning to punish the Marrano, or apostate Moor, as he called Alexander, Giuliano stirred the king with taunts and menaces until Charles felt he could delay his march no longer.

From Renaissance in Italy, Volume 1 (of 7) The Age of the Despots by John Addington Symonds

The Marranos were the Jews that converted to Christianity but continued to practice Judaism in the cellar.

From New York Times ● Mar. 17, 2017

The Marranos shun all Saturday work, a telltale sign of their identity, but paradoxically, most of the men have not been circumcised because that could disclose their secret.

From Time Magazine Archive

Like Marranos, they kept their faith in secret even after the official freedom of religion was proclaimed.

From Time Magazine Archive

The secrecy is senseless, in a way. since most of their neighbors know that the Marranos are Jews.

From Time Magazine Archive

Judah died before the expulsion from Spain, but his son Solomon participated in the final troubles of the Spanish Jews, and was even forced to join the ranks of the Marranos.

From Chapters on Jewish Literature by Israel Abrahams

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---