zaddik

noun

zad·​dik ˈtsä-dik How to pronounce zaddik (audio)
variants or tzaddik
plural zaddikim or tzaddikim tsä-ˈdi-kəm How to pronounce zaddik (audio)
1
: a righteous and saintly person by Jewish religious standards
2
: the spiritual leader of a modern Hasidic community

Examples of zaddik in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Each time another hits, somewhere in the old Poland or Ukraine a hasid rocks more fervently, a zaddik rises from his prayers. Henry Shukman, The New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zaddik.' 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

Yiddish tsadek, from Hebrew ṣaddīq just, righteous

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of zaddik was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near zaddik

Cite this Entry

“Zaddik.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zaddik. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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