Hebrew

[ hee-broo ]
/ ˈhi bru /

noun

a member of the Semitic peoples inhabiting ancient Palestine and claiming descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; an Israelite.
a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic family, the language of the ancient Hebrews, which, although not in a vernacular use from 100 b.c. to the 20th century, was retained as the scholarly and liturgical language of Jews and is now the national language of Israel. Abbreviation: Heb

adjective

Hebraic.
noting or pertaining to the script developed from the Aramaic and early Hebraic alphabets, used since about the 3rd century b.c. for the writing of Hebrew, and later for Yiddish, Ladino, and other languages.

Origin of Hebrew

before 1000; Middle English Hebreu, variant (with H- < Latin) of Ebreu < Old French < Medieval Latin Ebrēus for Latin Hebraeus < Late Greek Hebraîos < Aramaic ʿIbhraij; replacing Old English Ebrēas (plural) < Medieval Latin Ebrēī

OTHER WORDS FROM Hebrew

non-He·brew, noun, adjective pre-He·brew, adjective, noun

Words related to hebrew

Hasidic, Judaistic, Semitic

Example sentences from the Web for hebrew

British Dictionary definitions for hebrew

Hebrew
/ (ˈhiːbruː) /

noun

the ancient language of the Hebrews, revived as the official language of Israel. It belongs to the Canaanitic branch of the Semitic subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages
a member of an ancient Semitic people claiming descent from Abraham; an Israelite
archaic, or offensive a Jew

adjective

of or relating to the Hebrews or their language
archaic, or offensive Jewish

Word Origin for Hebrew

C13: from Old French Ebreu, from Latin Hebraeus, from Greek Hebraios, from Aramaic `ibhray, from Hebrew `ibhrī one from beyond (the river)

Cultural definitions for hebrew

Hebrew

The language of the Hebrews, in which the Old Testament was written. It is the language of the modern state of Israel.