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Hebrews

 - 7 dictionary results

He⋅brews

[hee-brooz]
–noun (used with a singular verb)
a book of the New Testament. Abbreviation: Heb.

He⋅brew

[hee-broo]
–noun
1. a member of the Semitic peoples inhabiting ancient Palestine and claiming descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; an Israelite.
2. a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic family, the language of the ancient Hebrews, which, although not in a vernacular use from 100 b.c. to the 20th century, was retained as the scholarly and liturgical language of Jews and is now the national language of Israel. Abbreviation: Heb
–adjective
3. Hebraic.
4. noting or pertaining to the script developed from the Aramaic and early Hebraic alphabets, used since about the 3rd century b.c. for the writing of Hebrew, and later for Yiddish, Ladino, and other languages.

Origin:
bef. 1000; ME Hebreu, var. (with H- < L) of Ebreu < OF < ML Ebrēus for L Hebraeus < LGk Hebraîos < Aram ʿIbhraij; r. OE Ebrēas (pl.) < ML Ebrēī
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Hebrews
He·brew   (hē'brōō)   
n.  
  1. A member or descendant of a Semitic people claiming descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; an Israelite; a Jew.

    1. The Semitic language of the ancient Hebrews.

    2. Any of the various later forms of this language, especially the language of the Israelis.

  2. Hebrews (used with a sing. verb) Abbr. Heb. See Table at Bible.


[Middle English Ebreu, from Old French, from Latin Hebraeus, Hebraic, from Greek Hebraios, from Aramaic 'ibrāy, from Hebrew 'ibrî.]
He'brew adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

Hebrew

The language of the Hebrews, in which the Old Testament was written. It is the language of the modern state of Israel.


Hebrews

The descendants of Abraham and Isaac, especially the descendants of Isaac's son Jacob; the Israelites.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

Hebrew 
late O.E., from O.Fr. Ebreu, from L. Hebraeus, from Gk. Hebraios, from Aramaic 'ebhrai, corresponding to Heb. 'ibhri "an Israelite," lit. "one from the other side," in reference to the River Euphrates, or perhaps simply signifying "immigrant;" from 'ebher "region on the other or opposite side." Derogatory slang shortening Hebe is first recorded 1932.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Bible Dictionary

Hebrews

(Acts 6:1) were the Hebrew-speaking Jews, as distinguished from those who spoke Greek. (See GREEKS.)

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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