: a Jew qualified to expound and apply the halacha and other Jewish law
3
: a Jew trained and ordained for professional religious leadership
specifically: the official leader of a Jewish congregation
Examples of rabbi in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebAharon Eitan, a researcher at the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research focusing on the ultra-Orthodox who is also a certified rabbi and yeshiva graduate, took a different view.—Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 25 June 2024 The parents represented include rabbis, pastors, and reverends.—Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 25 June 2024 The group also pointed out Kahane is related to radical rabbi and political leader Meir Kahane.—Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024 No one is spared—not even the grandson of Turkey’s chief rabbi, who was placed, along with many Christians, in an Islamic high school.—Soner Cagaptay, Foreign Affairs, 19 July 2016 See all Example Sentences for rabbi
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rabbi.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Greek rhabbi, from Hebrew rabbī my master, from rabh master + -ī my
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of rabbi was
before the 12th century
: a professionally trained leader of a Jewish congregation
rabbinic
rə-ˈbin-ik
ra-
adjective
or rabbinical
-i-kəl
Etymology
Old English rabbi "term of address used for Jewish religious leaders," from Latin rabbi (same meaning), from Greek rhabbi (same meaning), from Hebrew rabbī "my master," from rabh "master" and the suffix -ī "my"
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