This is a list of English words of Hebrew (and related Semitic) origin.
English words of Hebrew origin
- abacus
- probably from אבק abaq (="dust")
- amen
- from אמן amen (="so be it; truly")
- Ashkenazi
- from אשכנזי ashkenazi (="German")
- bar mitzvah
- from בר מצווה bar mitzvah (="son of (the) commandment")
- behemoth
- from בהמות behemot (="beasts")
- Bethlehem, bedlam
- from בית לחם bet lehem (="house of bread")
- bris
- from ברית brit via Yiddish (="covenant (of circumcision)")
- cherub, cherubim
- from כרוב kherubh, כרובים kherubhim
- golem
- from גולם golem (="unformed, incomplete")
- Hallelujah
- from הללויה halleluyah (="(let us) praise God")
- Israel
- from ישראל yisrael (="(the one who) wrestles (with) God")
- Jerusalem
- from ירושלים yerushalayim
- jubilee
- from יובל yovel (="ram's horn")
- kibbutz
- from קיבוץ kibutz (="gathering")
- kippah
- from כיפה kippah
- kosher
- from כשר kasher (="fit, acceptable")
- leviathan
- from לויתן livyatan (="sea monster")
- maven
- from מבין mevin via Yiddish (="one who understands")
- Messiah
- from משיח mashiah (="anointed")
- mohel
- from מוהל mohel via Yiddish
- rabbi
- from רבי ravi (="my master")
- Satan
- from שטן satan (="adversary")
- schwa
- from שווא sheva "ְ"
- Sephardi
- from ספרדי sefardi (="Spaniard")
- seraph, seraphim
- from שרף seraf, שרפים serafim
- shibboleth
- from שיבולת shibolet (="ear of grain")
Words with Semitic roots akin to Hebrew
- cider
- akin to שכר shekar (="intoxicating liquor")
- cinnamon
- akin to קינמון kinamon
- camel
- akin to גמל gamal
- earnest money
- akin to ערבון eravon through Greek αρραβων
- hyssop
- akin to אזוב ezov
- sack
- akin שק saq (="sackcloth")
- sapphire
- akin to ספיר sapir
See also
Last updated: 08-28-2005 12:35:36
