Moses

¹ American  

[moh-ziz, -zis] / ˈmoʊ zɪz, -zɪs /

noun

1. the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt and delivered the Law during their years of wandering in the wilderness.

2. a male given name.

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Moses ² American  

[moh-ziz, -zis] / ˈmoʊ zɪz, -zɪs /

noun

1. Anna Mary Robertson Grandma Moses, 1860–1961, U.S. painter.

2. Robert, 1888–1981, U.S. public official: New York City Commissioner of Parks 1934–60.

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Moses British  

/ ˈməʊzɪz /

noun

1. Old Testament the Hebrew prophet who led the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land and gave them divinely revealed laws

2. Ed. born 1956, US hurdler; winner of the 400 m hurdles in the 1976 and 1984 Olympic Games

3. Grandma, real name Anna Mary Robertson Moses. 1860–1961, US painter of primitives, who began to paint at the age of 75

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Moses Cultural  

1. The great leader, lawgiver, and prophet of the ancient Israelites (Hebrews). According to the Old Testament, Moses was born in Egypt (see also Egypt), where the Hebrews were living as slaves. When Moses was an infant, the Egyptian ruler, or pharaoh, ordered all the male children of the Hebrews slain. Moses' mother placed him in a small boat made of bulrushes and hid him in a marsh, where he was found by the daughter of the pharaoh, who adopted him. When Moses was a grown man, he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew and had to flee Egypt to escape punishment. One day, while Moses was living in exile, God spoke to him from a burning bush, commanding him to return to Egypt and bring the Hebrews out of bondage. Moses went back to Egypt and told the pharaoh of God's command; when the pharaoh refused to release the Hebrews from slavery, God sent the plagues of Egypt to afflict the Egyptians. The pharaoh finally relented, and Moses led his people out of Egypt across the Red Sea, on the journey that became known as the Exodus. Shortly afterward, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. Moses and his people wandered in the wilderness for forty years; then, just as they came within sight of the Promised Land, Moses died.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Moses

His forebear Moses Montefiore was a British philanthropist who in 1840 helped secure the release of imprisoned Damascene Jews accused of blood libel—the false claim that Jews used Christian blood to bake matzo.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

His books on New York City planner Robert Moses and President Lyndon B. Johnson function as both biography and challenge, their hefty page counts daring readers to dive in.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

Nor does it tell guests where, exactly, in the 100,000 square feet of gallery space they can find particularly celebrated works of art including pieces by Artemisia Gentileschi, Ernie Barnes, Frida Kahlo and Grandma Moses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

Founded in the 19th century by Jewish brothers Loeb and Moses Simson in Suhl, Thuringia, it grew into a thriving industrial firm that made firearms but also bicycles and luxury automobiles.

From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026

Moses on the mountain, fire burning words into stone.

From "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson