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

During her time in medical school, however, Qasem Hassan found a mentor in David Applebaum, an ordained rabbi and an emergency-medicine doctor who was known for rushing to the scenes of suicide bombings to tend to the victims. —Eyal Press, New Yorker, 9 June 2025

One of the burn victims is a Holocaust survivor, a local rabbi said. —Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 4 June 2025

Additionally, representatives from Jewish organizations and synagogues, as well as prominent rabbis, each met with Grant to explain the offensive nature of the order, and to educate the general on the error of his ways. —Time, 3 June 2025

The series stars Kristen Bell as Joanne, a podcaster who finds love with an attractive rabbi named Noah (Adam Brody). —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2025

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"