bat mitzvah

1 of 2

noun

bat mitz·​vah bät-ˈmits-və How to pronounce bat mitzvah (audio)
variants or less commonly bas mitzvah
often capitalized B&M
1
: a Jewish girl who at 12 or more years of age assumes religious responsibilities
2
: the initiatory ceremony recognizing a girl as a bat mitzvah

bat mitzvah

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly bas mitzvah
bat mitzvahed also bas mitzvahed; bat mitzvahing also bas mitzvahing

transitive verb

: to administer the ceremony of bat mitzvah to

Examples of bat mitzvah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
The song became ubiquitous — a staple of countless weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, and literally any place where there’s a party going on right here. Jason Newman, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2024 In the film Between Two Temples, released last month, a retired music teacher in upstate New York undergoes bat mitzvah preparations in late adulthood, mirroring real-life rituals in the Jewish tradition offered to older congregants at certain synagogues. Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2024
Verb
Our granddaughter is having her bat mitzvah next month, in North Carolina. Amy Dickinson, oregonlive, 11 Aug. 2020 For Sunny's bat mitzvah in May 2022, Adam again turned to his celebrity friends to make the party extra special. Stephanie Kaloi, Peoplemag, 1 Dec. 2022 See all Example Sentences for bat mitzvah 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Hebrew bath mişwāh, literally, daughter of the (divine) law

First Known Use

Noun

1910, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bat mitzvah was in 1910

Dictionary Entries Near bat mitzvah

Cite this Entry

“Bat mitzvah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bat%20mitzvah. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

bat mitzvah

1 of 2 noun
bat mitz·​vah bät-ˈmits-və How to pronounce bat mitzvah (audio)
variants also bas mitzvah
often capitalized B&M
1
: a Jewish girl who at about 12 years of age takes on religious responsibilities
2
: the ceremony recognizing a girl as a bat mitzvah

bat mitzvah

2 of 2 verb
variants also bas mitzvah
bat mitzvahed also bas mitzvahed; bat mitzvahing also bas mitzvahing
: to administer the ceremony of bat mitzvah to
Etymology

Noun

from Hebrew bath miṣwāh, literally, "daughter of the (divine) law"

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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