rabbi

¹ American  

[rab-ahy] / ˈræb aɪ /

noun

plural

rabbis

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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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

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

“She’s a bill-payer, but just like a financial adviser has to be priest, rabbi and therapist to their clients, Sharon was that way to us. She did everything,” said Sydney, who lives in New York.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

Jonathan Romain, the former rabbi of Maidenhead synagogue in Berkshire, now regularly spends his Shabbat mornings standing outside it on guard duty.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

Forer is an ordained rabbi who mentors clerks and others entering the legal field.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

When she was ordained in 2009 at age 65, she was hired as the rabbi at the same Morgan Hill synagogue and worked there until 2020.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Not only the rabbi had brought us his library but other Jewish families had brought their treasures to the Beje for safekeeping.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• priest
• teacher