SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus
view recents

bimah

noun
Save Word
bi·​mah | \ ˈbē-mə How to pronounce bimah (audio) \
variants: or less commonly bima

Definition of bimah

: a raised platform in a synagogue from which the Torah is read

Examples of bimah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As worshippers exited the sanctuary, Repp would make his way to the bimah – the pulpit – and stand alone near the ark holding the Torahs. — Robert Wilonsky, Dallas News, "Dallas has lost a vital human story of the Holocaust with the death of South Dallas shopkeeper Jack Repp," 14 Jan. 2020 Rows of tables and plastic chairs face an ornate wooden pulpit, or bimah. — Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, "The Message of Measles," 26 Aug. 2019 The boy had been halfway up the bleachers just to the right of the bimah. — Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, "The Message of Measles," 26 Aug. 2019 At the end of the evening, she and her pregnant wife, Shelley, 39, a digital marketing specialist, were taken by surprise when they were called to the bimah, the platform where the Torah is read. — Dan Bilefsky, New York Times, "Gay and Once Divorced, a Canadian Rabbi Broadens Judaism’s Tent," 12 July 2019 After a minor scuffle, Cardboard Chuck was moved in front of the bimah. — Jeet Heer, The New Republic, "Angry Brooklyn Democrats berate cardboard cutout of Chuck Schumer.," 3 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bimah.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of bimah

1941, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for bimah

Yiddish & Late Hebrew; Yiddish bime, from Late Hebrew bīmāh, from Late Greek bēma raised platform — more at bema

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about bimah

Statistics for bimah

Cite this Entry

“Bimah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bimah. Accessed 5 Mar. 2021.

Style: MLA
MLA Chicago APA Merriam-Webster

More from Merriam-Webster on bimah

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for bimah

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bimah

Comments on bimah

What made you want to look up bimah? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

abhor

Listen to the pronunciation of abhor

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Who Knew?

  • who knew quiz
  • What is a ruelle?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games