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Zebedee

American  
[zeb-i-dee] / ˈzɛb ɪˌdi /

noun

  1. the father of the apostles James and John. Matthew 4:21.


Zebedee British  
/ ˈzɛbɪˌdiː /

noun

  1. New Testament the father of the apostles James and John (Matthew 4:21)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Zebedee

From Late Latin Zebedaeus, from Greek Zebedaîos, from Hebrew Zabdī, shortening of Zabdīʾēl or Zabdīyāh “Gift of God”


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Zebedee has more than three decades of industry experience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Ella Singleton-Redmond, the women's booker for Zebedee, said disability was often left out of debates about diversity.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2022

“Before Zebedee, disability was not included in the diversity debate,” she said.

From New York Times ● Dec. 15, 2021

The Hwange park guide, Zebedee, told us to call him “Rhino,” though his name was not prophetic.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 2, 2018

This John, son of Zebedee, brother of the other James, is reckoned a martyr in the same sense as his brother in the earliest gospels.

From The Making of the New Testament by Benjamin Wisner Bacon

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