What does "jewish" mean?
A Jew.
Jewish
/ˈd͡ʒuː.ɪʃ/ adj, name, noun, slang
adj, name, noun, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A Jew.
- Grammar: jewish is listed as adj, name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: judaic, hebraic, judaeo.
- Useful contrasts: gentile, non Jewish, secular.
- Usage evidence: His wife's second cousin was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
How to use "jewish"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "jewish" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "jewish" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "jewish" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "jewish" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "jewish" is acting as adj, name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "judaic" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "jewish", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A Jew. proscribed
"The Statue of Liberty. A French gift with a poem made by a Jewish."
Adjective
- 1 Following the religion of Judaism.
"There are many Jewish people in France."
- 2 Of or relating to Jews, their ethnicities or cultures.
"I tried some traditional Jewish food yesterday."
- 3 Greedy, miserly. dated, derogatory, offensive
""Vanity!" ſays ſhe, haughtily, "What is vanity in you, ſir, is propriety in me. You aſk a Jewiſh price for it, Mr. Graves; but have it I will, if only to ſpite Mr. Eſmond.""
- 4 Yiddish.
"The roots of American Jewry are not in the Middle East but in Europe—their Jewish style, their strong Jewish words, their strong nostalgia, their actual, weighable history, all this issues from their European origins. Grandpa did not hail from Haifa—he was a Jewish humanist, a spiritual, believing Jew, who complained not in an antique tongue called Hebrew but in colorful, rich, vernacular Yiddish."
Adjective
- 1 of or relating to Jews or their culture or religion wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 The Hebrew language. informal, proscribed
"I can't speak Jewish; I can't even understand it."
- 2 The Yiddish language. informal, proscribed
"We believe that although he speaks Jewish, he speaks Russian quite badly and pretentiously."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"His wife's second cousin was a member of the Jewish ruling council."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "jewish"?
Common synonyms include: judaic, hebraic, judaeo.
How do you use "jewish" in a sentence?
His wife's second cousin was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
How do you pronounce "jewish"?
Pronounced /ˈd͡ʒuː.ɪʃ/.
Etymology
From Jew + -ish. Compare Middle English Judewissh (“Jewish”), Old English Iūdēisċ (“Jewish”), Dutch joodsch, joods (“Jewish”), German jüdisch (“Jewish”), Danish jødisk (“Jewish”), Swedish judisk (“Jewish”), Gothic 𐌾𐌿𐌳𐌰𐌹𐍅𐌹𐍃𐌺𐍃 (judaiwisks, “Jewish”). See also Yiddish.