List of English words of Hebrew origin

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This is a list of English words of Hebrew (and related Semitic) origin.

English words of Hebrew origin

Abacus 
probably from אבק abaq (="dust") through Greek
Amen 
from אמן amen (="so be it; truly")
Ashkenazi 
from אשכנזי ashkenazi (="German")
Bar mitzvah
from בר מצווה bar mitzvah (="son of (i.e. bound to) the commandment")
Behemoth 
from בהמות beheymot (="beasts" or "cattle")
Bethlehem, bedlam 
from בית לחם bet lehem (="house of bread")
Bris 
from ברית brit via Yiddish (="covenant (of circumcision)")
Cherub, cherubim 
from כרוב kerubh, כרובים kerubim
Golem 
from גולם golem (="unformed, incomplete")
Goy 
from goy ("nation, gentile")
Hallelujah 
from הללויה halleluyah (="(let us) praise God")
Israel 
from ישראל yisrael (="(the one who) wrestles (with) God")
Jehu 
from Yehu an insane driver (after 2 Kings 9:20)
Jerusalem 
from ירושלים yerushalayim (="shall inherit Shalem" [an ancient biblical city-state mentioned in the book of Genesis])
Jubilee 
from יובל yovel (Jubilee year)
kibbutz 
from קיבוץ kibutz (="gathering")
Kippah 
from כיפה kippah (="half-sphere")
Kosher 
from כשר kasher (="fit, acceptable")
Leviathan 
from לויתן livyatan (="whale")
Maven 
from מבין mevin via Yiddish (="one who understands")
Messiah 
from משיח mashiach (="anointed")
Methuselah 
from Methushelah, the oldest living human (969 years)
Mohel 
from מוהל mohel via Yiddish
Nimrod 
("a mighty hunter", mentioned in the Book of Genesis)
Rabbi 
from רבי rabi (="my teacher", or mentor")
Sabbath 
from Shabat("rest")
sandal 
from סנדל sandal
Satan 
from שטן satan (="adversary")
Schwa 
from שווא sheva "ְ"
Sephardi 
from ספרדי sefaradi (="Spaniard")
Seraph, seraphim 
from שרף seraf, שרפים serafim ("fiery ones")
Shibboleth 
from שיבולת shibolet (="ear of grain")
Tohubohu 
chaos, comes form "Tohu va'vohu" (unformed and void) from Genesis 1:2
Torah 
from תורה

Words with Semitic roots akin to Hebrew

Borough 
from Chaldean פרה perach
Cider 
akin to שכר shekhar (="intoxicating liquor")
Cinnamon 
akin to קינמון kinamon
Camel 
akin to גמל gamal
Hyssop 
akin to אזוב ezov
Mate 
akin to מת met, as in Checkmate
Sack 
akin שק saq (="sackcloth")
Sapphire 
akin to ספיר sapir

See also

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