rabbi

noun

rab·​bi ˈra-ˌbī 

1

: master, teacher

—used by Jews as a term of address

2

: a Jew qualified to expound and apply the halacha and other Jewish law

3

: a Jew trained and ordained for professional religious leadership

specifically : the official leader of a Jewish congregation

Examples of rabbi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These Christians and one rabbi could not agree more with this point. —Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026

Beth El also takes great pride in having been home to the nation’s first de facto female rabbi, Paula Ackerman, in the 1960s. —Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026

Kowalsky Shapiro was the daughter of a prominent rabbi whose wedding was delayed so her future husband, Arthur Shapiro, could aid anti-Franco forces during the Spanish Civil War. —Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026

And my father was their chief rabbi and… chief Rabbi of a town. —Marcy Thompson, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin, from Greek rhabbi, from Hebrew rabbī my master, from rabh master + -ī my

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rabbi

• apply
• awry
• belie
• bely
• bigeye
• bonsai
• buckeye
• comply
• coxae
• decry
• defy
• deny

Kids Definition

rabbi

noun

rab·​bi ˈrab-ˌī 

1

: master entry 1 sense 1a, teacher

—used as a term of address for Jewish religious leaders

2

: a professionally trained leader of a Jewish congregation

rabbinic

rə-ˈbin-ik, 

ra-

adjective

or rabbinical

-i-kəl

Etymology

Old English rabbi "term of address used for Jewish religious leaders," from Latin rabbi (same meaning), from Greek rhabbi (same meaning), from Hebrew rabbī "my master," from rabh "master" and the suffix -ī "my"