variants or tzitzis or less commonly
: the fringes or tassels worn on traditional or ceremonial garments by Jewish males as reminders of the commandments of Deuteronomy 22:12 and Numbers 15:37–41

Examples of tzitzit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The first care packages that were delivered to the camp contained extra large T-shirts, boxer shorts and tzitzit, the ritual undergarments worn by Orthodox Jewish men. Isabel Kershner Avishag Shaar-Yashuv, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2024 Last month, a Chabad House official said in a news release that the assailant ripped the victim’s tzitzit — a traditional Jewish garment — and had made antisemitic and anti-Israel slurs. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2023 Some wore a kippah and tzitzit, ritual fringes. Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA TODAY, 22 July 2021 Likewise, tzitzit and saris were more common than Fair Isle sweaters and red-and-green garb. Sonja Sharpstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 25 Dec. 2022 The tzitzit is a fringed garment worn by some religiously observant Jews. Dov Lieber, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tzitzit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Hebrew ṣīṣīth

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tzitzit was in 1675

Dictionary Entries Near tzitzit

Cite this Entry

“Tzitzit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tzitzit. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.

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