JEW

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

• JEW (noun)
  The noun JEW has 1 sense:

1. a person belonging to the worldwide group claiming descent from Jacob (or converted to it) and connected by cultural or religious ties

  Familiarity information: JEW used as a noun is very rare.

• JEW (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A person belonging to the worldwide group claiming descent from Jacob (or converted to it) and connected by cultural or religious ties

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Hebrew; Israelite; Jew

Hypernyms ("Jew" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "Jew"):

Ashkenazi (a Jew of eastern European or German descent)

Zionist (a Jewish supporter of Zionism)

Zealot (a member of an ancient Jewish sect in Judea in the first century who fought to the death against the Romans and who killed or persecuted Jews who collaborated with the Romans)

Wandering Jew (a legendary Jew condemned to roam the world for mocking Jesus at the Crucifixion)

Sephardi; Sephardic Jew (a Jew who is of Spanish or Portuguese or North African descent)

Sadducee (a member of an ancient Jewish sect around the time of Jesus; opposed to the Pharisees)

Reform Jew (liberal Jew who tries to adapt all aspects of Judaism to modern circumstances)

Pharisee (a member of an ancient Jewish sect noted for strict obedience to Jewish traditions)

Orthodox Jew (Jew who practices strict observance of Mosaic law)

Levite (a member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi (especially the branch that provided male assistants to the temple priests))

hymie; kike; sheeny; yid ((ethnic slur) offensive term for a Jew)

Jewess (a woman who is a Jew)

Essene (a member of an ascetic Jewish sect around the time of Jesus)

Conservative Jew (Jew who keeps some requirements of Mosaic law but adapts others to suit modern circumstances)

Instance hyponyms:

Lot ((Old Testament) nephew of Abraham; God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah but chose to spare Lot and his family who were told to flee without looking back at the destruction)

Christ; Deliverer; Good Shepherd; Jesus; Jesus Christ; Jesus of Nazareth; Redeemer; Savior; Saviour; the Nazarene (a teacher and prophet born in Bethlehem and active in Nazareth; his life and sermons form the basis for Christianity (circa 4 BC - AD 29))

Holonyms ("Jew" is a member of...):

Jewry (Jews collectively)

Derivation:

Judaic (of or relating to Jews or their culture or religion)

Judaic (of or relating to or characteristic of the Jews or their culture or religion)

 Context examples 

Of the Captain I knew little, save that he was not of the best repute, and was deep in the hands of the Jews.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The other group is called Sephardic Jews and includes those whose ancestors lived in North Africa, the Middle East, and Spain.

(Ashkenazi Jews, NCI Dictionary)

"You needn't tell me you've gone and pledged it with that Jew, Lipka. Because if you have—"

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

A very fine fellow; as rich as a Jew.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

The other group is designated Sephardic Jews and includes those whose ancestors lived in North Africa, the Middle East, and Spain.

(Ashkenazi Jew, NCI Dictionary)

"Where's the jew's-harp, Jo?" cried Laurie, as soon as he was within speaking distance.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

He is a harmless enough fellow, Parker by name, a garroter by trade, and a remarkable performer upon the jew’s-harp.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The monotheistic religion of the Jews having its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah and in the Talmud.

(Judaism, NCI Thesaurus)

Ashkenazi Jews, also called Ashkenazim, are Jews who are descendants of Jews from Germany, Poland, Austria and Eastern Europe.

(Ashkenazi Jew, NCI Thesaurus)

It was a rude, raw, primeval version of the Jews in Babylon or the Israelites in Egypt.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)