yeshiva

noun

ye·​shi·​va yə-ˈshē-və 

variants or less commonly yeshivah

plural yeshivas or yeshivot yə-ˌshē-ˈvōt 

-ˈvōth

1

: a school for talmudic study

2

: an Orthodox Jewish rabbinical seminary

3

: a Jewish day school providing secular and religious instruction

Examples of yeshiva in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Rabbi Mendel Zaks, the Radin Yeshiva’s then-leader and the Chofetz Chaim’s son-in-law, fled in 1941 to the United States and reestablished the yeshiva in New York City. — Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026

That was true in its yeshiva reform efforts when hesitant and understaffed local districts were charged with investigations and, even when violations were substantiated, the schools couldn’t be closed down. — David Bloomfield, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026

But such an arrangement would face major disagreements over military conscription, as Eisenkot has pledged to expand mandatory service to ultra-Orthodox men, while the religious parties have sought to preserve exemptions for yeshiva students. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026

There's also demand for surveillance cameras after the governor says security footage from a Brooklyn yeshiva was able to help police find the person who sprayed swastikas on its building in November 2025. — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Late Hebrew yĕshībhāh

First Known Use

1760, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for yeshiva

• gingiva
• oliva
• diva
• iva
• shiva
• viva

Kids Definition

yeshiva

noun

ye·​shi·​va

variants also yeshivah

yə-ˈshē-və 

plural yeshivas or yeshivot -ˌshē-ˈvōt(h) 

: a Jewish school especially for religious instruction