tallith

American  

[tah-lis, tah-leet] / ˈtɑ lɪs, tɑˈlit /

Or tallit,

noun

Judaism.

tallithim, plural tallitim, plural tallisim plural

1. a shawllike garment of wool, silk, or the like, with fringes, or zizith, at the four corners, worn around the shoulders by Orthodox and Conservative (sometimes also Reform) Jews, as during the morning service.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• tallisim
  plural
• tallitim
  plural
• tallithim
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tallith

First recorded in 1605–15, tallith is from the Hebrew word ṭallīth literally, cover, cloak

Example Sentences

In its pamphlet distributed to teachers last week, the Ministry of Education refers to learning about Talmud and Torah, tallith and tefillin as "inspiration from the glorious past of the Jewish nation."

From Time Magazine Archive

The hood of his tallith had slipped from his head on to his shoulders.

From An Obscure Apostle A Dramatic Story by Soissons, C. S. de

Save for the phylacteries, the plain raiment of a Rabbi with the white and lavender fringes on his tallith as the Law doth command.

From The Coming of the King by Babcock, Bernie

Drawing himself into a sitting position, the Hindoo took the tallith, pressed it into the palm of his hand and sat for a short time without speaking.

From The Coming of the King by Babcock, Bernie

They laid the body on the floor in front of the prison cells and covered it with the tallith as with a shroud.

From Neighbors Life Stories of the Other Half by Riis, Jacob A. (Jacob August)

Related Words

• cloth
• scarf
• stole