Marrano

American  

[muh-rah-noh] / məˈrɑ noʊ /

noun

plural

Marranos

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

---

Etymology

Origin of Marrano

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

Example Sentences

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 Wolf, Lucien

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

From Dreamers of the Ghetto by Zangwill, Israel

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 Abrahams, Israel

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 Dubnow, S. M. (Simon Markovich)

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 Symonds, John Addington