What does "rabbi" mean?
A Jewish scholar or teacher of halacha (Jewish law), capable of making halachic decisions.
Rabbi
/ˈɹæ.baɪ/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A Jewish scholar or teacher of halacha (Jewish law), capable of making halachic decisions.
- Grammar: rabbi is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: abecedarian, authority, baal kore, boss.
- Useful contrasts: layperson.
- Usage evidence: Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.
How to use "rabbi"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "rabbi" 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 "rabbi" 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 "rabbi" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "rabbi" 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 "rabbi" is acting as 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 "abecedarian" 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 "rabbi", 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 Jewish scholar or teacher of halacha (Jewish law), capable of making halachic decisions.
"Next, R. Moskowitz brings us to the Slonimer Rebbe, a late 20th century Hasidic rabbi, who taught that the evil of Esav was that very sense of completion, the self-perception that he had no need for growth or further transformation."
- 2 The title of a rabbi (a Jewish scholar or teacher); used before or instead of the rabbi's name.
"This past weekend, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach set off a firestorm with his full-page ad in the New York Times accusing National Security Adviser Susan E. Rice of turning a blind eye to the Rwandan genocide when she was on President Bill Clinton’s national security team in the 1990s."
- 3 a Hebrew title of respect for a Jewish scholar or teacher wordnet
- 4 A Jew who is the leader or is qualified to be the leader of a Jewish congregation.
""Elon Musk is spreading the kind of antisemitism that leads to massacres," reads the decree, which was signed by 164 "rabbis, leaders of Jewish organizations, artists, activists, and academics." "And advertisers are funding the platform that allows him to spread his ideology to hundreds of millions [of] people.""
- 5 spiritual leader of a Jewish congregation; qualified to expound and apply Jewish law wordnet
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A senior officer who acts as a mentor. slang
"Hoskins? He doesn't have a better rabbi in the department than that?"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "rabbi"?
Common synonyms include: abecedarian, authority, baal kore, boss, bwana, cantor.
How do you use "rabbi" in a sentence?
Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.
How do you pronounce "rabbi"?
Pronounced /ˈɹæ.baɪ/.
Etymology
From Middle English raby, from Ecclesiastical Latin rabbi, and its source Koine Greek ῥαββί (rhabbí), from (post-Tanakh) Hebrew רַבִּי (rabbi, “my master”), from רַב (rav, “master”) + ־ִי (-í, “my”). Compare late Old English rabbi. Doublet of rebbe and related to rav.