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List of English words of Hebrew origin

This is a list of English words of Hebrew origin. Transliterated pronunciations not found in Merriam-Webster or the American Heritage Dictionary follow Sephardic/Modern Israeli pronunciations as opposed to Ashkenazi pronunciations, with the major difference being that the letter taw () is transliterated as a 't' as opposed to an 's'.

There is a separate list of English words of Semitic origin other than those solely of Hebrew or Arabic origin.

From Hebrew words

abacus : from avaq 'dust' (AHD), probably from Greek ἄβαξ abax 'slab' (MW)
agora (currency) : from (AHD) agorah 'small coin' (MW), from Greek agora "an assembly of the People" from ageirein "to assemble
aliyah : from (AHD) aliyah 'ascent' (MW)
almemar : from almemar 'bema', from Arabic المنبر al-minbar 'pulpit' (AHD)
amen : from amen (MW) 'certainly', 'verily' (AHD)
armageddon : from har megido 'mount megido' (AHD)
baal : from ba'al 'lord' (AHD, MW)
babel : from (AHD, MW) balal 'confound' (SC) + in part from Akkadian 𒇷𒄿 𒀊𒁀 bāb-ilu 'gate of god' (MW)
bar mitzvah : from (AHD) bar miá¹£wah 'son of the commandment' (MW)
bath (volume) : from bath (MW) '10 gallons liquid measure' (AHD) from Greek βαθύς (bathus), "deep",
bat mitzvah : from (AHD) bath miá¹£wah 'daughter of the commandment' (MW)
behemoth : from (MW) behemoth 'beasts' (AHD)
bethel : from (AHD) beth'el 'house of God' (MW)
: (OSPD) from (AHD) Greek Bethesda 'Bethesda' (WNW), probably from bayith chesed 'house of kindness' (SC)
bris : from (WNW) b'rith 'covenant' (MW)
brith milah : from (WNW) b'rith milah 'covenant of circumcision' (MW)
: perhaps from barukh hab-ba 'blessed be he who comes' (WNW)
cab (volume) : from (MW) qab 'hollow vessel' (AHD)
cabal : from (AHD) qabbalah 'received (lore)' (MW)
challah : from (AHD) ḥallah 'egg-rich yeast-leavened bread' (MW)
chazan, hazan : from ḥazzan 'cantor' (MW) + in part from Aramaic, both from Akkadian (AHD)
cherub : from (AHD) kerubh 'celestial hierarchy angel' (MW)
chutzpah : from (AHD) ḥuṣpah 'supreme self-confidence' (MW)
cider : from (AHD) shekhar 'strong drink' (MW)
: disputed (MW) + perhaps from kol beṣedeq 'all with justice' (AHD), or kol beseder ‘all is in order’ (MW)
cor (volume), kor (volume) : from kor (AHD, WNW) '100 gallons capacity' (MW)
corban : from (AHD) qorban 'offering' (MW)
dybbuk : from dibbuq 'wandering soul' (AHD, MW)
edenic : from (WNW) eden 'delight' (AHD)
ephah : from (AHD) ephah '1/10 homer dry measure', from Egyptian (MW)
galilee : from Latin galilaea (AHD, MW), from galiyl 'circle', 'circuit' (SC)
: from (AHD) gannabh 'thief' (MW)
gerah : from (MW) gerah 'grain', 'bean' (AHD)
get (divorce document) : from get 'document of release' (MW)
golem : from golem (AHD) 'shapeless mass' (MW)
goy : from goy 'nation' (AHD, MW)
gun moll : from (AHD) gannabh 'thief' (MW) + from Miryam (AHD) 'Miriam' (MW, OED) (='rebelliously') (SC) + perhaps from Egyptian (HH)
habdalah : from (AHD) habhdalah 'separation' (MW)
haftarah, haphtarah : from (MW, WNW) patar 'separate', 'discharge' (AHD)
haggadah : from (AHD, MW) heged 'a saying' (WNW)
halacha : from halakhah 'way' (MW)
hallelujah, alleluia : from halleluyah 'praise the ' (AHD, MW)
: from hlá¹£ 'be in the vanguard' (WNW)
hebraize : from (MW) ibhri (AHD) 'region across [descendant]' (SC)
heder : from heder 'room' (MW)
homer (volume) : from (AHD, MW) hamar 'surge up', 'swell up' (WNW), Greek ὅμηρος (hómēros), "hostage"
hosanna : from (AHD) hoshi'ah-nna 'save please' (MW)
jubilee : from (AHD) yobhel 'ram's horn' (MW)
judas : from (MW) yehuda (AHD) 'celebrated' (SC)
kabbalah, cabala : from (AHD) qabbalah 'received (lore)' (MW)
kaddish : from (AHD, MW) qds 'sanctify' (WNW)
kashrut : from (AHD, MW) ksr 'be appropriate' (WNW)
kibbutz : from qibbuá¹£ (MW) 'gathering' (AHD)
kibosh : disputed (AHD, MW) + perhaps from kabash 'tread down', 'disregard'
kiddush : from (AHD) qiddush 'sanctification' (MW)
klezmer : from (AHD) k'ley zemer 'musical instruments' (MW)
knesset : (OSPD) from kanas 'assemble' (AHD, WNW)
kosher : from (AHD, MW) ksr 'be appropriate' (WNW)
chayyim :(OSPD) from ḥaim 'to life' (WNW)
leviathan : from (AHD) liwyathan 'sea monster, whale' (MW)
macabre : from French (danse) macabre (AHD, MW), probably from Latin (Chorea) Machabaeorum, from maqqebet 'hammer' (WNW), from naqab 'perforate' (SC)
maftir :(OSPD) from maphtir 'one that dismisses' (NI)
mahzor : from (AHD) ḥzr 'return' (WNW)
manna : from man (AHD, MW) (SC)
matzo : from (AHD) maá¹£ah 'unleavened bread' (MW)
: from (AHD) mebhin 'one who is experienced' (MW), 'one who understands' (OED)
mazeltov : from (WNW) mazzal tob 'good luck' (AHD)
: from (WNW) mezumman 'fixed' (AHD)
: from (MW, WNW) galal 'roll' (AHD)
menorah : from (AHD) menorah 'candlestick' (MW)
: from (AHD) meshugga 'crazy' (MW).
messiah : from (AHD) mashiaḥ 'anointed' (MW) + in part from Aramaic (AHD) meshiha 'anointed' (MW)
mezuzah : from mezuzah 'doorpost' (AHD, MW)
midrash : from (AHD) midrash 'exposition', 'explanation' (MW)
mikvah : from miqwah 'purification bath' (AHD)
minyan : from minyan 'number', 'count' (MW), from Aramaic (AHD)
mitzvah : from (AHD) miá¹£wah 'commandment' (MW)
mohel : from mohel 'person qualified to perform circumcision' (WNW)
momser : from momser 'bastard' (WNW)
mishpachah : from mishpahah 'family', 'clan' (NI)
moshav : from (AHD) moshabh 'dwelling' (MW)
nabla :probably from nebhel 'harp' (NI)
nachas : pleasure, satisfaction, delight; proud enjoyment (usage: I have nachas from you) (from Hebrew נחת pronounced 'nachat') (WNW)
nebel : from nebhel 'harp' (NI)
omer : from omer (AHD) '1/10 ephah dry capacity' (MW)
parashah : from parashah 'explanation' (MW, WNW)
pascal : from 'Pascal' (AHD, MW), from pesah 'passover' (AHD, MW, OED)
: from pasah al 'passed over' (AHD, MW, OED)
pharaoh : from par'oh 'ruler of ancient Egypt', from Egyptian (MW) <hiero>O1:O29</hiero> pr-'o 'great house' (AHD)
pharisee : from Aramaic (AHD) perisha 'separated', from (MW) parash 'separate' (SC), 'cleave' (WNW)
rabbi : from (AHD, WNW) rabh 'master' (MW)
rebbe : from (AHD, WNW) rabh 'master' (MW)
rebbetzin : from (WNW) rabh 'master' (MW)
sabbatical : from (MW) shabbat 'day of rest' (AHD)
: from (AHD) á¹£abar 'prickly pear' (MW)
satanic : from satan 'adversary' (MW), 'devil' (AHD)
schmooze : from (AHD) shemu'oth 'news', 'rumor' (MW)
schwa : from schewa 'unstressed mid-central vowel' (MW), probably from Syriac ܥܗܘܐܝܝܐ sewayya 'equal' (AHD)
seder : from (AHD) seder 'order' (MW)
selah : from (AHD) selah (MW) 'suspension', 'pause' (SC)
seraph : from (MW) saraph 'celestial being' (AHD)
shadchan : (OSPD) from shiddekh 'arrange a marriage' (NI)
: (OSPD) from (AHD) shadrach 'captive' (WNW)
shalom : from (AHD) shalom 'peace' (MW)
shalom aleichem : from (AHD) shalom 'alekhem 'peace unto you' (MW)
shammes : from (AHD) shammash 'sexton' (MW)
shamus : perhaps from (AHD) shammash 'sexton' (MW)
shegetz : from (AHD) sheqes 'blemish', 'abomination' (MW)
shekel : from (MW) saqal 'weigh', from Canaanite tql (AHD)
sheol : (OSPD) from se'ol 'underworld' (AHD), perhaps from shaal 'dig' (WNW)
shibboleth : from (AHD) shibboleth 'stream' (MW), 'ear of grain' (OED)
shiksa : from (AHD, WNW) sheqes 'blemish', 'abomination' (MW)
shivah : from (AHD) shibh'ah 'seven' (MW)
shofar : from shophar (MW) 'ram's horn' (AHD)
siddur : from siddur 'arrangement' (AHD), 'order' (MW)
sukkah : from sukkah 'booth', 'shelter' (MW)
sycamine : from (AHD, MW) shiqmah 'mulberry tree' (OED)
tallith : from (MW) tillel 'cover' (AHD)
talmudism : from (MW) lamad 'learn' (AHD)
teraph : from (AHD) teraphim 'household god' (MW)
torah : from tora 'law', 'instruction' (AHD)
tref : from taraph 'tear' (AHD)
tsuris : from (AHD) á¹£arah 'calamity' (WNW)
, : from (AHD) tahath 'under', 'beneath' (MW)
tzitzit, zizith : from (AHD) á¹£iá¹£ith 'fringes', 'tassels' (MW)
ulpan : from aleph 'ox', 'leader' (WNW)
yeshiva : from (AHD) yeshibhah 'talmudic school' (MW)
yid : from yehudah (AHD) 'celebrated' (SC)
zaddik : from á¹£addiq 'just', 'righteous' (MW)

From Hebrew names

abelia : from 'Abel' (AHD, MW), from Hebhel 'Abel' (='emptiness') (SC)
abelian : from 'Abel' (AHD, MW), from Hebhel 'Abel' (='emptiness') (SC)
abigail : from (MW) (SC) Avigail 'Abigail' (='father of exaltation') (HH)
adam-and-eve : from Adam 'Adam' (MW) (='earth') (HH) + from חוה Hawwah 'Eve' (MW) (='living') (HH)
ammonite: from Ammon, Biblical tribe
: from (AHD, MW) Beth Leḥem 'Bethlehem' (='house of bread')
: from (AHD) Yeshu'a 'Jesus' (MW) (='Jehovah-saved') (SC)
benday : from (AHD) Binyamin 'Benjamin' (MW) (='son of [the] right hand') (SC) + from Old English (AHD, MW)
cassia: from qəṣi`â
davit : from (AHD) Dawid 'David' (MW) (='loving') (SC)
hamantasch : from Haman, a biblical villain (MW) + tash, multiple etimologies; from Yiddish (MW)
hansom : from 'Hansom' (MW), from 'Hans', from Yohanan 'John' (='the is gracious') (HH)
jack : 1 from Yohanan 'John' (MW) (='the is gracious') (HH)<br>2 perhaps from יַעֲקֹב Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)
jacket : from Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)
jacobean : from Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)
jacquard : from 'Jacquard' (AHD, MW), from יַעֲקֹב Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)
jacquerie : from Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)
jakes : perhaps from Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)
jeez : from (AHD) Yeshu'a 'Jesus' (MW) (='Jehovah-saved') (SC)
: from Yehu 'Jehu' (MW) (='Jehovah [is] He') (SC)
jeremiad : from (AHD) Yirmeyah 'Jeremiah' (MW) (='the will rise') (SC)
jeroboam : from (AHD, MW) Yarobh'am 'Jeroboam' (='people will contend') (SC)
jesuit : from Yeshu'a 'Jesus' (AHD) ('Jehovah-saved') (SC)
: from (AHD) Izebhel 'Jezebel' (MW) (='chaste') (SC)
jimmy : from (MW) 'James' (AHD), from Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW, OED) (='he has protected') (AHD)
jockey : from (AHD) Yohanan 'John' (MW) (='the is gracious') (HH)
joe : from Yoseph 'Joseph' (MW) (='he shall add') (HH)
john (washroom) : from (AHD) Yohanan 'John' (MW) (='the is gracious') (HH)
: from (AHD) Yohanan 'John' (MW) (='the is gracious') (HH)
: perhaps from (AHD, MW) Yehoram 'Joram' (='Jehovah-raised') (SC)
: from (AHD) Yoseph 'Joseph' (MW) (='he shall add') (HH)
lazar : from (AHD) El'azar 'Lazarus' (MW) (='God is my help') (HH)
lazaretto : from (AHD) El'azar 'Lazarus' (MW) (='God is my help') (HH) + from (MW) natzerath 'Nazareth' (WNW)
macadam : from 'McAdam' (MW), in part from Adham 'Adam' (='earth') (HH)
macadamia : from 'Macadam' (MW), in part from Adham 'Adam' (='earth') (HH)
marionette : from Miryam (AHD) 'Miriam' (MW, OED) (='rebelliously') (SC) + perhaps from Egyptian (HH)
: from Miryam (AHD) 'Miriam' (MW, OED) (='rebelliously') (SC) + perhaps from Egyptian (HH)
mick : from Mikha'el 'Michael' (MW) (='who [is] like God?') (SC)
mickey (drink) : perhaps from (AHD) Mikha'el 'Michael' (MW) (='who [is] like God?') (SC)
miquelet : probably from Catalan Miquel (NI), from Mikha'el 'Michael' (MW) (='who [is] like God?') (SC)
moll : from Miryam (AHD) 'Miriam' (MW, OED) (='rebelliously') (SC) + perhaps from Egyptian (HH)
nance : from 'Nancy' (MW, AHD), probably in part from Ḥannah 'Anna' (OED) (='favored') (HH, SC)
nimrod : from (AHD) Nimrodh 'Nimrod' (='hunter') (MW)
philistine : 1 from Pelistim 'Philistines' 'Aegean people who settled Philistia' (AHD)<br>2 from (MW) Pelesheth 'Philistia' (='rolling', 'migratory') (SC)
rube : (AHD) from Re'ubhen 'Reuben' (MW) (='see ye a son') (SC)
samaritan : from (AHD, MW) Shomron 'Samaria' (='watch-station') (SC)
semitist : from Shem 'Shem' (MW) (='name') (SC)
simony : from (AHD) Shim'on 'Simon' (MW) (='hearing') (HH, SC)
sodom : from (MW) s'dom 'Sodom' (AHD, OED) (='burnt') (SC)
toby : from (AHD, MW) Toviah 'Tobias' (='goodness of Jehovah') (SC)
yankee : probably from (AHD) Yohanan 'John' (MW) (='the is gracious') (HH)

Letter names

aleph, beth, gimel, daleth, he, waw, zayin, heth, teth, yod, kaph, lamed, mem, nun, samekh, ayin, pe, sadhe, qoph, resh, shin, taw (AHD, MW, WNW)

alpha : from Greek Άλφα alpha, perhaps from aleph 'ox', 'leader' (WNW) + from Canaanite 𐤀𐤋𐤐 alp 'ox' (AHD)
beta : from Greek Βήτα beta, from bet 'house', probably from Phoenician (WNW) + from Canaanite 𐤁𐤉𐤕 bet 'house' (AHD)
gamma : from Greek Γάμμα gamma, perhaps from gimel 'ruminant beast' (WNW) + from Phoenician 𐤋𐤌𐤀𐤂 (AHD)
delta : from Greek Δέλτα delta (AHD), perhaps from deleth 'door' (WNW) + of Semitic origin, akin to Phoenician 𐤃𐤀𐤋𐤕 dalt 'door' (AHD)
eta : from Greek eta, perhaps from chet (WNW) 'terror' (SC) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤇𐤕 (AHD)
iota : from Greek Ιώτα iota, perhaps from yodh 'hand' (WNW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤉𐤏𐤕 (AHD)
kappa : from Greek Κάππα kappa, perhaps from kaph (WNW) 'palm of the hand' (MW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤊𐤀𐤅 (AHD)
lambda : from Greek Λάμβδα lambda, perhaps from lamedh 'whip', 'club' (WNW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤋𐤀𐤌𐤃 (AHD)
nu : from Greek Νυ nu, perhaps from nun 'fish' (WNW) + of Semitic origin (AHD)
pi : from Greek Πι pi, perhaps from pe 'mouth' (WNW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤐𐤄 (AHD)
rho : from Greek Ρω rho, perhaps from rosh 'head' (WNW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤓𐤏𐤔 (AHD)
tau : from Greek Ταυ tau, perhaps from taw (WNW) 'mark', 'cross' (MW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤕𐤀𐤅 (AHD)

See also

References