Mordecai

American  

[mawr-di-kahy, mawr-di-key-ahy] / ˈmɔr dɪˌkaɪ, ˌmɔr dɪˈkeɪ aɪ /

noun

1. (in the Bible) the cousin and guardian of Esther who delivered the Jews from the destruction planned by Haman.

2. a male given name.

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Mordecai ¹ British  

/ ˈmɔːdəˌkaɪ, ˌmɔːdəˈkaɪ /

noun

1. Old Testament the cousin of Esther who averted a massacre of the Jews (Esther 2–9)

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Mordecai ² British  

/ ˌmɔːdəˈkaɪ, ˈmɔːdəˌkaɪ /

noun

1. Old Testament the cousin of Esther who averted a massacre of the Jews (Esther 2–9)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Mordecai

Mr. Lemann’s grandfather, Montefiore Mordecai Lemann, took a different route.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026

In the story of Esther, Mordecai entreats his niece to step into her Jewishness to prevent atrocities from happening.

From Salon ● Mar. 15, 2025

Then he heard Howard University President Mordecai Wyatt Johnson’s lecture on Mahatma Gandhi, whose conceptions of nonviolent protest as a “love-force,” along with Christian love, animated a transformative movement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2024

Washington State’s star edge rusher couldn’t find a way to get pressure on Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai, and as the Sept. 9 game wore on, he started to feel frustration boil inside him.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 24, 2023

Siobhan rubbed her bracelet for luck as Reggie warmed up with his teammate, Mordecai.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson