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

Following Brody’s comments, Rabbi Steve Leder, the former senior rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles — where Foster converted to Judaism — and a technical adviser on the show’s first season, criticized the actor. — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 6 Nov. 2026

Hofstedter, a Canadian rabbi, was joining a group of rabbis from around the world at the Radin Yeshiva, nestled in the small town of Radun in western Belarus. — Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026

His grandfather was the first chief rabbi of Ireland, and later named chief Ashkenazi rabbi of Israel. — Ilan Ben Zion, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Nov. 2026

That fear, coupled with the fact that ICE has been showing up in religious spaces across the country, are the main reasons why the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism is encouraging rabbis to take the poll chaplain training, said Pesner. — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 1 Nov. 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"