Jew

noun

ˈjü 

1

: a person belonging to a continuation through descent or conversion of the ancient Jewish people

2

: one whose religion is Judaism

3

a

: a member of the tribe of Judah

b

: israelite

4

: a member of a nation existing in Palestine from the sixth century b.c. to the first century a.d.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Kahn, who wrote the script with Nathalie Hertzberg, was inspired to make the movie after reading the defendant’s autobiography, Obscure Memories of a Polish Jew Born in France, which Goldman penned in prison and which turned him into a hero among the intelligentsia. —Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 May 2023

But to be a Jew in Paris in the late 1930s is to live within the loop of an ever-tightening noose. —Lauren Elkin, Washington Post, 16 May 2023

The Soviet Union was a terrible place to be a Jew; god, was the fruit delicious. —Ruth Madievsky, Good Housekeeping, 10 May 2023

Four members from the House of Lords—one Jew, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh—will hand Charles objects of the royal regalia, one of the key procedures at the coronation ceremony. —Conor Murray, Forbes, 5 May 2023

Also in Holland was Friedrich Weinreb, a Hasidic Jew who ran a scam selling spots on a list that supposedly protected his marks from deportation to death camps. —Scott Martelle, Washington Post, 3 May 2023

Tech executive Ronen Keler, from beachy, foodie, liberal Tel Aviv, is a secular Jew. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 2 May 2023

One of the better known and vividly told stories in Grabar’s book is of the shopping mall designer Victor Gruen, a Viennese Jew and socialist, who fled Austria after the Nazi occupation in 1938. —Max Holleran, The New Republic, 25 Apr. 2023

My grandfather was a 23-year-old, six-foot-tall American Jew who could hardly pronounce the French phrases listed on the notecard he’d been told to read if shot down. —Katie Sanders, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Apr. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French ju, jeu, from Latin Judaeus, from Greek Ioudaios, from Hebrew Yĕhūdhī, from Yĕhūdhāh Judah, Jewish kingdom

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing Jew

• Jew's harp
• Wandering Jew

• Jew's harp
• Wandering Jew

Kids Definition

Jew

noun

ˈjü 

1

: one of the ancient Hebrews or a descendant of the ancient Hebrews

2

: one whose religion is Judaism

Jewish

ˈjü-ish

adjective