mitzvah

American  

[meets-vah, mits-, mits-vuh] / mitsˈvɑ, mɪts-, ˈmɪts və /

Or mitsvah

noun

Hebrew.

plural

mitzvoth, mitzvot, mitzvos,

plural

mitzvahs

1. any of the collection of 613 commandments or precepts in the Bible and additional ones of rabbinic origin that relate chiefly to the religious and moral conduct of Jews.

2. any good or praiseworthy deed.

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mitzvah British  

/ ˈmɪtsvə, mitsˈvɑ /

noun

1. a commandment or precept, esp one found in the Bible

2. a good deed

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Etymology

Origin of mitzvah

First recorded in 1720–30; from Hebrew miṣwāh “command, commandment”

Example Sentences

My kid has her bat mitzvah in February.

From MarketWatch

This was the year of bar and bat mitzvahs—my own, but also those of friends, relatives, Hebrew-school classmates and, it sometimes seemed, any passing acquaintance.

From The Wall Street Journal

Reiner’s parents got him an 8mm film camera for his bar mitzvah and from that moment on he was rarely without one.

From The Wall Street Journal

June, for a bat mitzvah scene you memorized a complicated Torah portion.

From Los Angeles Times

LaToya Hall, a chef for an upscale catering company, was on her feet all day, working unpredictable hours and moving heavy food trays for weddings and bar mitzvahs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• edict
• precept