rabbi

¹ American  

[rab-ahy] / ˈræb aɪ /

noun

• rabbis
  plural

1. the chief religious official of a synagogue, trained usually in a theological seminary and duly ordained, who delivers the sermon at a religious service and performs ritualistic, pastoral, educational, and other functions in and related to the role of a spiritual leader of Judaism and the Jewish community.

2. a title of respect for a Jewish scholar or teacher.

3. a Jewish scholar qualified to rule on questions of Jewish law.

4. any of the Jewish scholars of the 1st to 6th centuries a.d. who contributed to the writing, editing, or compiling of the Talmud.

5. Slang. a personal patron or adviser, as in business.

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rabbi ² American  

[rab-ee] / ˈræb i /

noun

Ecclesiastical.

1. rabat.

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rabbi British  

/ ˈræbaɪ /

noun

1. (in Orthodox Judaism) a man qualified in accordance with traditional religious law to expound, teach, and rule in accordance with this law

2. the religious leader of a congregation; the minister of a synagogue

3. the early Jewish scholars whose teachings are recorded in the Talmud

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rabbi Cultural  

1. In Judaism, a teacher and leader of worship, usually associated with a synagogue.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• rabbis
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of rabbi¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English rabi (from Old French rab(b)i) from Late Latin rabbī, from Greek rhabbí, from Hebrew rabbī “my master” (rabh “master” + -ī “my”)

Origin of rabbi²

By alteration

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Explanation

If being a rabbi was just a matter of long beards and black suits, then ZZ Top could have opened up a yeshiva. A rabbi is a Jewish spiritual leader who is a scholar of Torah laws and customs. The word rabbi comes from the Hebrew raba, meaning "great" or "revered," as seen in the Hebrew expressions saba raba (great grandfather) or hatzlacha raba (a blessing for much success). Rabbis might serve one or more of a number of roles within a Jewish community, including motivational speakers, Torah legal authorities, teachers, mentors, therapists, or as mohels who can perform ritual circumcisions.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rabbi rabbis

Anshel Pfeffer says that it's difficult to sway the base vote in the ultra-Orthodox community, where most still essentially follow what their rabbi says they should do.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

A rabbi from Agoura Hills has been charged with murder in the death of a man in the parking lot of Southern California’s newest Costco, according to authorities and jail records.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

Religious leaders present in Blue Ash on Sunday also included women serving as a Jewish rabbi, a Baptist minister and a Muslim chaplain.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

Abrishami is one of about 60 active synagogues in Iran, for which Gerami serves as chief rabbi.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

It's with a real rabbi in a real temple in Shadbush Crossing.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

In recent weeks, he has met with rabbis to discuss their concerns.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

Gerami said the alliance of rabbis in Muslim countries, which range from Albania to Nigeria to Uzbekistan, helps to put his situation in perspective.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

But some rabbis turned to online video readings of the Megillah in order to follow army orders while still respecting the religious requirements of the holiday.

From Barron's ● Mar. 2, 2026

Of Chicago rabbi Abraham Heschel, bringing 15 other white rabbis down to Selma, Ala., in 1964 at the request of King, where their arrest made headlines — which translated to political pressure.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2026

The rabbis encouraged them, and they made the women and young people sing and play tambourines and timbrels to keep up their spirits .

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

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