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

Bell stars as agnostic podcaster Joanne who falls in love with a rabbi named Noah, played by Brody. —Joe Otterson, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026

The letter followed footage from November of Ye meeting with a rabbi. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026

Isaacs is also the rabbi at Beth Israel, a century-old synagogue down the road from Colby that is the only one within 20 miles of the college. —ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026

Then a friend said a synagogue in Miami with a Jewish day school was looking for a senior rabbi. —Jessica Tzikas, Sun Sentinel, 8 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"