Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

pidyon haben

noun
pid·​yon ha·​ben | \ ˌpidyənhəˈben\
plural pidyon habens or pidyon habonin

Definition of pidyon haben

: a traditional Jewish ceremonial rite observed on the 30th day after the birth of a first-born male child of one not a Cohen or a Levite in which the father symbolically relieves the child of ritual responsibilities by redeeming him from a Cohen for a certain sum

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for pidyon haben

Late Hebrew pidyōn habēn, literally, redemption of the son

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about pidyon haben

Dictionary Entries near pidyon haben

pidgin

pidgin English

pi-dog

pidyon haben

pie

piebald

piebaldly

Statistics for pidyon haben

Look-up Popularity

Comments on pidyon haben

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

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

provender

Listen to the pronounciation of provender

food or victuals

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Farm Idioms Quiz

  • cow coming home
  • What does 'poke' refer to in the expression 'pig in a poke'?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

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