List of English words of Hebrew origin

For a list of words relating to Hebrew language origins, see the Terms derived from Hebrew category of words in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

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 (ת‎) 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.

abacus

from אבק 'avaq 'dust' (AHD), probably from Greek ἄβαξ abax 'slab' (MW)

agora (currency)

from (AHD) אגורה agorah 'small coin' (MW), from Greek agora "an assembly of the People" from ageirein "to assemble

aliyah

from (AHD) עלייה 'aliyah 'ascent' (MW)

almemar

from אלממר 'almemar 'bema', from Arabic المنبر al-minbar 'pulpit' (AHD)

amen

from אמן 'amen (MW) 'certainly', 'verily' (AHD)

baal

from בעל ba'al 'lord' (AHD, MW)

babel

from (AHD, MW) בלל balal 'confound' (SC) + in part from Akkadian 𒇷𒄿 𒀊𒁀 bāb-ilu 'gate of god' (MW)

bar mitzvah

from (AHD) בר מצוה bar miṣwah 'son of the commandment' (MW)

bath (volume)

from בַּת bath (MW) '10 gallons liquid measure' (AHD) from Greek βαθύς (bathus), "deep",^[1]

bat mitzvah

from (AHD) בת מצוה bath miṣwah 'daughter of the commandment' (MW)

behemoth

from (MW) בהמות behemoth 'beasts' (AHD)

bethel

from (AHD) ביתאל beth'el 'house of God' (MW)

bethesda (chapel)

(OSPD) from (AHD) Greek Bethesda 'Bethesda' (WNW), probably from bayith chesed 'house of kindness' (SC)

bris

from (WNW) ברית b'rith 'covenant' (MW)

brith milah

from (WNW) בְּרִית מִילָה b'rith milah 'covenant of circumcision' (MW)

brouhaha

perhaps from barukh hab-ba 'blessed be he who comes' (WNW)

cab (volume)

from (MW) qab 'hollow vessel' (AHD)

cabal

from (AHD) קַבָּלָה qabbalah 'received (lore)' (MW)

challah

from (AHD) חלה ḥallah 'egg-rich yeast-leavened bread' (MW)

chazan, hazan

from חזן ḥazzan 'cantor' (MW) + in part from Aramaic, both from Akkadian (AHD)

cherub

from (AHD) כרוב kerubh 'celestial hierarchy angel' (MW)

chutzpah

from (AHD) חֻצְפָּה ḥuṣpah 'supreme self-confidence' (MW)

cider

from (AHD) שכר shekhar 'strong drink' (MW)

copacetic

disputed (MW) + perhaps from כל בצדק kol beṣedeq 'all with justice' (AHD), or כל בסדר kol beseder ‘all is in order’ (MW)

cor (volume), kor (volume)

from kor (AHD, WNW) '100 gallons capacity' (MW)

corban

from (AHD) קָרְבָּן qorban 'offering' (MW)

dybbuk

from דיבוק dibbuq 'wandering soul' (AHD, MW)

edenic

from (WNW) עדן 'eden 'delight' (AHD)

ephah

from (AHD) איפה ephah '1/10 homer dry measure', from Egyptian (MW)

galilee

from Latin galilaea (AHD, MW), from גליל galiyl 'circle', 'circuit' (SC)

ganef

from (AHD) גנב gannabh 'thief' (MW)

gerah

from (MW) גרה gerah 'grain', 'bean' (AHD)

get (divorce document)

from גט get 'document of release' (MW)

golem

from גולם golem (AHD) 'shapeless mass' (MW)

goy

from גוי goy 'nation' (AHD, MW)

gun moll

from (AHD) גנב gannabh 'thief' (MW) + from מִרְיָם 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 הלכה halakhah 'way' (MW)

hallelujah, alleluia

from הללויה halleluyah 'praise the LORD' (AHD, MW)

halutz

from hlṣ 'be in the vanguard' (WNW)

hebraize

from (MW) עברי 'ibhri (AHD) 'region across [descendant]' (SC)

heder

from חדר heder 'room' (MW)

homer (volume)

from (AHD, MW) חמר hamar 'surge up', 'swell up' (WNW), Greek ὅμηρος (hómēros), "hostage"

hosanna

from (AHD) hoshi'ah-nna 'save please' (MW)

jubilee

from (AHD) יובל yobhel 'ram's horn' (MW)

judas

from (MW) יהודה yehuda (AHD) 'celebrated' (SC)

kabbalah, cabala

from (AHD) קַבָּלָה qabbalah 'received (lore)' (MW)

kaddish

from (AHD, MW) qds 'sanctify' (WNW)

kashrut

from (AHD, MW) כשר ksr 'be appropriate' (WNW)

kibbutz

from קיבוץ qibbuṣ (MW) 'gathering' (AHD)

kibosh

disputed (AHD, MW) + perhaps from כבש kabash 'tread down', 'disregard'^{[citation needed]}

kiddush

from (AHD) qiddush 'sanctification' (MW)

klezmer

from (AHD) כלי זמר k'ley zemer 'musical instruments' (MW)

knesset

(OSPD) from kanas 'assemble' (AHD, WNW)

kosher

from (AHD, MW) כשר ksr 'be appropriate' (WNW)

chayyim

(OSPD) from ḥaim 'to life' (WNW)

leviathan

from (AHD) לויתן liwyathan 'sea monster, whale' (MW)

macabre

from French (danse) macabre (AHD, MW), probably from Latin (Chorea) Machabaeorum, from מקבת maqqebet 'hammer' (WNW), from נקב naqab 'perforate' (SC)

maftir

(OSPD) from maphtir 'one that dismisses' (NI)

mahzor

from (AHD) ḥzr 'return' (WNW)

manna

from מן man (AHD, MW) (SC)

matzo

from (AHD) מצה maṣah 'unleavened bread' (MW)

maven

from (AHD) מבין mebhin 'one who is experienced' (MW), 'one who understands' (OED)

mazeltov

from (WNW) מזל טוב mazzal tob 'good luck' (AHD)

mazuma

from (WNW) מזומן mezumman 'fixed' (AHD)

megillah

from (MW, WNW) galal 'roll' (AHD)

menorah

from (AHD) מנורה menorah 'candlestick' (MW)

meshuga

from (AHD) משוגע meshugga 'crazy' (MW).

messiah

from (AHD) משיח mashiaḥ 'anointed' (MW) + in part from Aramaic (AHD) meshiha 'anointed' (MW)

mezuzah

from מְזוּזָה mezuzah 'doorpost' (AHD, MW)

midrash

from (AHD) מדרש midrash 'exposition', 'explanation' (MW)

mikvah

from miqwah 'purification bath' (AHD)

minyan

from מִנְיָן minyan 'number', 'count' (MW), from Aramaic (AHD)

mitzvah

from (AHD) מצוה miṣwah 'commandment' (MW)

mohel

from מוהל mohel 'person qualified to perform circumcision' (WNW)

momser

from momser 'bastard' (WNW)

mishpachah

from mishpahah 'family', 'clan' (NI)

moshav

from (AHD) מוֹשָׁב 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 עמר 'omer (AHD) '1/10 ephah dry capacity' (MW)

parashah

from parashah 'explanation' (MW, WNW)

pascal

from 'Pascal' (AHD, MW), from^[2] פסח pesah 'passover' (AHD, MW, OED)

paschal

from פסח על pasah al 'passed over' (AHD, MW, OED)

pharaoh

from פרעה par'oh 'ruler of ancient Egypt', from Egyptian (MW) pr-'o 'great house' (AHD)

pharisee

from Aramaic (AHD) perisha 'separated', from (MW) פרש parash 'separate' (SC), 'cleave' (WNW)

rabbi

from (AHD, WNW) רב rabh 'master' (MW)

rebbe

from (AHD, WNW) רב rabh 'master' (MW)

rebbetzin

from (WNW) רב rabh 'master' (MW)

sabbatical

from (MW) שׁבת shabbat 'day of rest' (AHD)

sabra

from (AHD) ṣabar 'prickly pear' (MW)

satanic

from שטן satan 'adversary' (MW), 'devil' (AHD)

schmooze

from (AHD) שמועות shemu'oth 'news', 'rumor' (MW)

schwa

from שוא schewa' 'unstressed mid-central vowel' (MW), probably from Syriac ܥܗܘܐܝܝܐ sewayya 'equal' (AHD)

seder

from (AHD) סדר seder 'order' (MW)

selah

from (AHD) סֶלָה selah (MW) 'suspension', 'pause' (SC)

seraph

from (MW) שׂרף saraph 'celestial being' (AHD)

shadchan

(OSPD) from shiddekh 'arrange a marriage' (NI)

shadrach

(OSPD) from (AHD) shadrach 'captive' (WNW)^[3]

shalom

from (AHD) שָׁלוֹם shalom 'peace' (MW)

shalom aleichem

from (AHD) שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם shalom 'alekhem 'peace unto you' (MW)

shammes

from (AHD) שמש shammash 'sexton' (MW)

shamus

perhaps from (AHD) שמש shammash 'sexton' (MW)

shegetz

from (AHD) שקץ sheqes 'blemish', 'abomination' (MW)

shekel

from (MW) שקל saqal 'weigh', from Canaanite tql (AHD)

sheol

(OSPD) from se'ol 'underworld' (AHD), perhaps from shaal 'dig' (WNW)

shibboleth

from (AHD) שיבולת shibboleth 'stream' (MW), 'ear of grain' (OED)

shiksa

from (AHD, WNW) שקץ sheqes 'blemish', 'abomination' (MW)

shivah

from (AHD) shibh'ah 'seven' (MW)

shofar

from shophar (MW) 'ram's horn' (AHD)

siddur

from סידור siddur 'arrangement' (AHD), 'order' (MW)

sukkah

from סוכה sukkah 'booth', 'shelter' (MW)

sycamine

from (AHD, MW) שִׁקמָה shiqmah 'mulberry tree' (OED)

tallith

from (MW) tillel 'cover' (AHD)

talmudism

from (MW) lamad 'learn' (AHD)

teraph

from (AHD) תרפים teraphim 'household god' (MW)

torah

from תּוֹרָה tora 'law', 'instruction' (AHD)

tref

from taraph 'tear' (AHD)

tsuris

from (AHD) ṣarah 'calamity' (WNW)

tush, toches

from (AHD) תחת tahath 'under', 'beneath' (MW)

tzitzit, zizith

from (AHD) ציצית ṣiṣith 'fringes', 'tassels' (MW)

ulpan

from aleph 'ox', 'leader' (WNW)

yeshiva

from (AHD) ישיבה yeshibhah 'talmudic school' (MW)

yid

from יהודה yehudah (AHD) 'celebrated' (SC)

zaddik

from צדיק ṣaddiq 'just', 'righteous' (MW)

abelia

from 'Abel' (AHD, MW), from הבל Hebhel 'Abel'^[4] (='emptiness') (SC)

abelian

from 'Abel' (AHD, MW), from הבל Hebhel 'Abel'^[4] (='emptiness') (SC)

abigail

from (MW) אֲבִיגַיִל (SC) Avigail 'Abigail' (='father of exaltation') (HH)

adam-and-eve

from אדם Adam 'Adam' (MW) (='earth') (HH) + from חוה Hawwah 'Eve' (MW) (='living') (HH)

ammonite

from עַמּוֹן Ammon, Biblical tribe

bedlam

from (AHD, MW) בית לחם Beth Leḥem 'Bethlehem' (='house of bread')

bejesus

from (AHD) יֵשׁוּעַ 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 קסיה qəṣi`â

davit

from (AHD) דָּוִד Dawid 'David' (MW) (='loving') (SC)

hamantasch

from Haman 'Haman' (MW) (='vizier') (SC) + from Yiddish (MW)

hansom

from 'Hansom' (MW), from 'Hans',^[5] from Yohanan 'John' (='the LORD is gracious') (HH)

jack

1 from יוחנן Yohanan 'John' (MW) (='the LORD is gracious') (HH)
2 perhaps from יַעֲקֹב Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)

jacket

from יַעֲקֹב Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)

jacobean

from יַעֲקֹב Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)

jacquard

from 'Jacquard' (AHD, MW), from^[6] יַעֲקֹב Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)

jacquerie

from יַעֲקֹב Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)

jakes

perhaps from יַעֲקֹב Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW) (='he has protected') (AHD)

jeez

from (AHD) יֵשׁוּעַ Yeshu'a 'Jesus' (MW) (='Jehovah-saved') (SC)

jehu

from יהוא Yehu 'Jehu' (MW) (='Jehovah [is] He') (SC)

jeremiad

from (AHD) יִרְמְיָה Yirmeyah 'Jeremiah' (MW) (='the LORD will rise') (SC)

jeroboam

from (AHD, MW) יָרָבְעָם Yarobh'am 'Jeroboam' (='people will contend') (SC)

jesuit

from יֵשׁוּעַ Yeshu'a 'Jesus' (AHD) ('Jehovah-saved') (SC)

jezebel

from (AHD) איזבל Izebhel 'Jezebel' (MW) (='chaste') (SC)

jimmy

from (MW) 'James' (AHD), from יַעֲקֹב Ya'aqobh 'Jacob' (MW, OED) (='he has protected') (AHD)

jockey

from (AHD) יוחנן Yohanan 'John' (MW) (='the LORD is gracious') (HH)

joe

from יוֹסֵף Yoseph 'Joseph' (MW) (='he shall add') (HH)

john (washroom)

from (AHD) יוחנן Yohanan 'John' (MW) (='the LORD is gracious') (HH)

johnny (gown)

from (AHD) יוחנן Yohanan 'John' (MW) (='the LORD is gracious') (HH)

jorum

perhaps from (AHD, MW) Yehoram 'Joram' (='Jehovah-raised') (SC)

joseph

from (AHD) יוֹסֵף Yoseph 'Joseph' (MW) (='he shall add') (HH)

lazar

from (AHD) אלעזר El'azar 'Lazarus' (MW) (='God is my help') (HH)

lazaretto

from (AHD) אלעזר El'azar 'Lazarus' (MW) (='God is my help') (HH) + from (MW) נָצְרַת 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 מִרְיָם Miryam (AHD) 'Miriam' (MW, OED) (='rebelliously') (SC) + perhaps from Egyptian (HH)

marry (interjection)

from מִרְיָם 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^[7] Mikha'el 'Michael' (MW) (='who [is] like God?') (SC)

moll

from מִרְיָם Miryam (AHD) 'Miriam' (MW, OED) (='rebelliously') (SC) + perhaps from Egyptian (HH)

nance

from 'Nancy' (MW, AHD), probably in part from חנה Ḥannah 'Anna' (OED) (='favored') (HH, SC)

nimrod

from (AHD) נמרוד Nimrodh 'Nimrod' (='hunter') (MW)

philistine

1 from פלשתים Pelistim 'Philistines' 'Aegean people who settled Philistia' (AHD)
2 from (MW) פלשת Pelesheth 'Philistia' (='rolling', 'migratory') (SC)

rube

(AHD) from רְאוּבֵן Re'ubhen 'Reuben' (MW) (='see ye a son') (SC)

samaritan

from (AHD, MW) שֹׁמְרוֹן Shomron 'Samaria' (='watch-station') (SC)

semitist

from שם Shem 'Shem' (MW) (='name') (SC)

simony

from (AHD) שִׁמְעוֹן Shim'on 'Simon' (MW) (='hearing') (HH, SC)

sodom

from (MW) סדום s'dom 'Sodom' (AHD, OED) (='burnt') (SC)

toby

from (AHD, MW) טוביה Toviah 'Tobias' (='goodness of Jehovah') (SC)

yankee

probably from (AHD) יוחנן Yohanan 'John' (MW) (='the LORD is gracious') (HH)

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 אלף aleph 'ox', 'leader' (WNW) + from Canaanite 𐤀𐤋𐤐 'alp 'ox' (AHD)

beta

from Greek Βήτα beta, from בית bet 'house', probably from Phoenician (WNW) + from Canaanite 𐤁𐤉𐤕 bet 'house' (AHD)

gamma

from Greek Γάμμα gamma, perhaps from גמל gimel 'ruminant beast' (WNW) + from Phoenician 𐤋𐤌𐤀𐤂 (AHD)

delta

from Greek Δέλτα delta (AHD), perhaps from דלת deleth 'door' (WNW) + of Semitic origin, akin to Phoenician 𐤕𐤋𐤀𐤃 dalt 'door' (AHD)

eta

from Greek eta, perhaps from chet (WNW) 'terror' (SC) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤕𐤇 (AHD)

iota

from Greek Ιώτα iota, perhaps from יד yodh 'hand' (WNW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤕𐤏𐤉 (AHD)

kappa

from Greek Κάππα kappa, perhaps from כף kaph (WNW) 'palm of the hand' (MW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤅𐤀𐤊 (AHD)

lambda

from Greek Λάμβδα lambda, perhaps from למד lamedh 'whip', 'club' (WNW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤃𐤌𐤀𐤋 (AHD)

nu

from Greek Νυ nu, perhaps from נון nun 'fish' (WNW) + of Semitic origin (AHD)

pi

from Greek Πι pi, perhaps from פה pe 'mouth' (WNW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤄𐤐 (AHD)

rho

from Greek Ρω rho, perhaps from ראש rosh 'head' (WNW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤔𐤏𐤓 (AHD)

tau

from Greek Ταυ tau, perhaps from taw (WNW) 'mark', 'cross' (MW) + from (MW) Phoenician 𐤅𐤀𐤕 (AHD)

• Lists of English words of international origin
• List of English words of Yiddish origin
• Hebraism

• AHD: American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: 3rd or 4th edition
• HH: A Dictionary of First Names, Patrick Hanks & Flavia Hodges
• MW: Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary: 10th or 11th edition
• NI: Webster's New International Dictionary: 2nd or 3rd edition
• OED: Oxford English Dictionary: online edition
• SC: Strong's Concordance
• WNW: Webster's New World Dictionary: 3rd edition
• =: a name from a word or phrase with the meaning given