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 (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.

From Hebrew words

abacus

from Greek ἀβαξ abax 'slab' (MW), probably from אבק 'abaq 'dust' (AHD)

agora (currency)

from (AHD) אגורה agorah 'small coin' (MW)

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 miswah 'son of the law' (MW)

bath (volume)

from בַּת bath (MW) '10 gallons liquid measure' (AHD)

bat mitzvah

from (AHD) בת מצוה bath miswah 'daughter of the law' (MW)

behemoth

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

bethel

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

bethesda (chapel)

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

bris

from (WNW) ברית berith 'covenant' (MW)

brith milah

from (WNW) berith 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 ḥuspah 'supreme self-confidence' (MW)

cider

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

copacetic

disputed (MW) + perhaps from כל בצדק kol betsedeq 'all with justice' (AHD)

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 epha '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 gera '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 hlc 'be in the vanguard' (WNW)

hebraize

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

heder

from חדר hedher 'room' (MW)

homer (volume)

from (AHD, MW) חמר hamar 'surge up', 'swell up' (WNW)

hora

from הוֹרָה horah 'circle dance of Romania and Israel', from Romanian horă (MW), from Turkish hora, perhaps from Greek χορός khoros 'round dance' (AHD)

hosanna

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

jew (verb)

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

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) kds 'sanctify' (WNW)

kashrut

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

kibbutz

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

kibitz

from Yiddish קיבעצן kibetsn (MW), from German gibitz 'peewit' (AHD) + in part from קבץ qabazh 'grasp', 'collect'^{[citation needed]}

kibosh

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

kiddush

from (AHD) qiddush 'sanctification' (MW)

klezmer

from (AHD) כלי זמר keley zemer 'musical instruments' (MW)

knesset

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

kosher

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

lambdacism

perhaps from lamedh 'whip, 'club' (WNW) + from Phoenician (AHD)

lambdoid

perhaps from lamedh 'whip, 'club' (WNW) + from Phoenician (AHD)

lehayim

(OSPD) from l'chaim '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 מקבה maqqaba 'hammer' (WNW), from נקב naqab 'perforate' (SC)

maftir

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

mahzor

from (AHD) hzr 'return' (WNW)

manna

from מן man (AHD, MW) (SC)

matzo

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

maven

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

mazeltov

from (WNW) 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 mashiah 'anointed' (MW) + in part from Aramaic (AHD) meshiha 'anointed' (MW)

mezuzah

from מְזוּזָה mezuzah 'doorpost' (AHD, MW)

midrash

from (AHD) מדרש midhrash '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

from nach 'rest' (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^[1] 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)

rhotacism

perhaps from rosh 'head' (WNW) + from Phoenician (AHD)

sabbatical

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

sabra

from (AHD) sabhar '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 sedher 'order' (MW)

selah

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

seraph

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

shadchan

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

shadrach

(OSPD) from (AHD) shadrach 'captive' (WNW)

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) טרפים teraphim 'household god' (MW)

tom

from (AHD) תאום t'om 'twin' (MW)

torah

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

tref

from tarap 'tear' (AHD)

tsuris

from (AHD) tsarah 'calamity' (WNW)

tush

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

tzitzit, zizith

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

ulpan

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

yanqui

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

yeshiva

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

yid

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

zaddik

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

From Hebrew names

abelia: from 'Abel' (AHD, MW), from הבל Hebhel 'Abel'^[2] (='emptiness') (SC)
abelian: from 'Abel' (AHD, MW), from הבל Hebhel 'Abel'^[2] (='emptiness') (SC)
abigail: from (MW) אֲבִיגַיִל (SC) Avigail 'Abigail' (='father of exaltation') (HH)
adam-and-eve: from אדם Adham 'Adam' (MW) (='earth') (HH) + from חוה Hawwah 'Eve' (MW) (='living') (HH)
bedlam: from (AHD, MW) בית לחם Beth Lechem 'Bethlehem' (='house of bread')
bejesus: from (AHD) יֵשׁוּעַ Yeshua' 'Jesus' (MW) (='Jehovah-saved') (SC)
benday: from (AHD) Binyamin 'Benjamin' (MW) (='son of [the] right hand') (SC) + from Old English (AHD, MW)
davit: from (AHD) דָּוִד Dawidh 'David' (MW) (='loving') (SC)
hamantasch: from Haman 'Haman' (MW) (='vizier') (SC) + from Yiddish (MW)
hansom: from 'Hansom' (MW), from 'Hans',^[3] 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^[4] 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 Yeshua' '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 Yarov'am 'Jeroboam' (='people will contend') (SC)
jesuit: from יֵשׁוּעַ Yeshua' '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^[5] 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 Channah '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)

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 אלוף alef '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)

References

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

^ pascal. French-English translation in CollinsDictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 11th Edition. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
^ ^a ^b "Abel". Behind the Name.
^ Weekley, Ernest, M.A. (1912). The Romance of Words. London: John Murray. p. 51. Apart from assimilation, there is a tendency in English to substitute -m for -n .... In the family name Hansom, for Hanson, the son of Hans, we have dissimiliation.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Henry Harrison. Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary. p. 233. The French Jacquard = Jacque(s (q.v.) + the dim. suff. -ard [Teut. hard, hard]
^ Aaron Demsky. These Are the Names: Studies in Jewish Onomastics. p. 300. Names from other traditions that were present in the Catalan-speaking area .... include: Adam, Noè (Noah), Miquel (Michael), and Samsó (Samson).

[1] scal. French-English translation in CollinsDictionary.com. Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 11th Edition. Retrieved November 10, 2012.

[abel-2] "Abel". Behind the Name.

[3] Weekley, Ernest, M.A. (1912). The Romance of Words. London: John Murray. p. 51. Apart from assimilation, there is a tendency in English to substitute -m for -n .... In the family name Hansom, for Hanson, the son of Hans, we have dissimiliation.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[4] Henry Harrison. Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary. p. 233. The French Jacquard = Jacque(s (q.v.) + the dim. suff. -ard [Teut. hard, hard]

[5] Aaron Demsky. These Are the Names: Studies in Jewish Onomastics. p. 300. Names from other traditions that were present in the Catalan-speaking area .... include: Adam, Noè (Noah), Miquel (Michael), and Samsó (Samson).

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

From Hebrew words

From Hebrew names

Letter names

See also

References