List of English words of Hebrew origin
This is a
list of English words of Hebrew (and related
Semitic)
origin. Transliterated pronunciations follow Sephardic/Modern Israeli pronunciations as opposed to Ashkenazi pronunciations, with the major difference being that the letter tav (ת) is transliterated as a "t" as opposed to an "s."
Abacus : probably from אבק abaq (="dust") through GreekAmen : from אמן amen (="so be it; truly");
Ashkenazi : from אשכנזי
ashkenazi (="German")
Bar mitzvah: from בר מצווה bar mitzvah (="son of (i.e. bound to) the commandment"), "bar" coming from Aramaic as the Hebrew word for son is "ben";
Behemoth : from בהמות
beheymot (="beasts" or "cattle")
Bethlehem, bedlam : from בית לחם bet lehem (="house of bread");
Bris : from ברית
brit via
Yiddish (="covenant (of circumcision)"), the pronunciation here of the letter ת "tov" in English is pronounced as an "s" as opposed to a "t" beceause the English comes from Yiddish, which uses Ashkenazi pronunciations
Cherub, cherubim : from כרוב kerubh, כרובים kerubim;
Golem : from גולם
golem (="unformed, incomplete")
Goy : from ×'וי goy ("nation, gentile");
Hallelujah : from הללויה
halleluyah (="(let us) praise God")
Israel : from ישראל yisrael (="(the one who) wrestles (with) God");
Jehu : from יהוא
Yehu an insane driver (after
2 Kings 9:20)
Jerusalem : from ירושלים yerushalayim (="shall inherit Shalem" [an ancient biblical city-state mentioned in the book of Genesis]);
Jubilee : from יובל
yovel (
Jubilee year)
kibbutz : from קיבוץ kibutz (="gathering");
Kippah : from כיפה
kippah (="half-sphere")
Kosher : from כשר kasher (="fit, acceptable");
Leviathan : from לויתן
livyatan (="whale")
Maven : from מבין mevin via Yiddish (="one who understands");
Messiah : from משיח
mashiach (="anointed")
Methuselah : from Methushelah, the oldest living human (969 years);
Mohel : from מוהל
mohel via
YiddishNimrod : from נמרוד "a mighty hunter," specifically the ancient King Nimrod (mentioned in the Book of Genesis);
Rabbi : from רבי
rabi (="my teacher", or mentor")
Sabbath : from שׁבת "Shabat" ("rest");
Satan : from שטן
satan (="adversary")
Schwa : from שווא sheva "ְ";
Sephardi : from ספרדי
sefaradi (="Spaniard")
Seraph, seraphim : from שרף seraf, שרפים serafim ("fiery ones");
Shibboleth : from שיבולת
shibolet (="ear of grain")
Tohubohu : chaos, comes form "Tohu va'vohu" (unformed and void) from Genesis 1:2;
Torah : from תורה
Cider : akin to שכר shekhar (="intoxicating liquor")Cinnamon : akin to קינמון kinamon;
Camel : akin to גמל
gamalHyssop : akin to אזוב ezov;
Sack : akin שק
saq (="sackcloth")
Sapphire : akin to ספיר sapir*
Lists of English words of international origin*
List of English words of Yiddish origin
