rabbi

noun

rab·​bi ˈra-ˌbī How to pronounce rabbi (audio)
Synonyms of rabbinext
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Earlier this week, New York congressional candidate Brad Lander was detained in the area alongside a number of activists and American rabbis. — Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026 Everyone was chatting and enjoying the beautiful weather, Spiro, a 36-year-old rabbi at Hill Havurah congregation in Washington, recalled. — Liam Scott, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 Based on his schedule, Resnicoff ought to have stayed at Wheeler’s residence on Friday, but chose instead to stay with Pucciarelli, who had something to discuss with the rabbi. — Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 The show follows Joanne (Kristen Bell), an agnostic Angeleno who hosts a dating podcast with her sister, who falls for a Jewish rabbi Noah (Adam Brody). — Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rabbi

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of rabbi was before the 12th century

Rhymes for rabbi

See All Rhymes for rabbi

Browse Nearby Words

rabbet plane
rabbi
rabbin
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Cite this Entry

“Rabbi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rabbi. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rabbi

noun
rab·​bi ˈrab-ˌī How to pronounce rabbi (audio)
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"

More from Merriam-Webster on rabbi

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for rabbi

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rabbi

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