kabbalah

or cab·a·la

[ kab-uh-luh, kuh-bah- ]

noun
  1. a system of esoteric theosophy and theurgy developed by rabbis, reaching its peak about the 12th and 13th centuries, and influencing certain medieval and Renaissance Christian thinkers. It was based on a mystical method of interpreting Scripture by which initiates claimed to penetrate sacred mysteries. Among its central doctrines are: all creation is an emanation from the Deity and the soul exists from eternity.

  2. any occult or secret doctrine or science.

Origin of kabbalah

1
First recorded in 1515–25; from Medieval Latin cabbala, from Hebrew qabbālāh “tradition,” literally, “something received,” i.e., “handed down”; see also cabal
  • Also cab·ba·la, kab·a·la, kab·ba·la .

Words Nearby kabbalah

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How to use kabbalah in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for kabbalah

kabbalah

kabbala, kabala, cabbala, cabala or qabalah

/ (kəˈbɑːlə) /


noun
  1. an ancient Jewish mystical tradition based on an esoteric interpretation of the Old Testament

  2. any secret or occult doctrine or science

Origin of kabbalah

1
C16: from Medieval Latin, from Hebrew qabbālāh tradition, what is received, from qābal to receive

Derived forms of kabbalah

  • kabbalism, kabalism, cabbalism, cabalism or qabalism (ˈkæbəˌlɪzəm), noun
  • kabbalist, kabalist, cabbalist, cabalist or qabalist, noun
  • kabbalistic, kabalistic, cabbalistic, cabalistic or qabalistic, adjective

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