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hebrew

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈhibɹu// he·brew Informal

n. a language spoken in Israel and used in Jewish religious services. It is one of the world's oldest languages and has its own unique alphabet.

n. a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic family, serving as the primary language of Israel and the liturgical language of Judaism. When referring to the people, it denotes the ancient Israelites or their descendants.


SIMPLE

She is learning to read Hebrew at the community center.

CONTEXTUAL

The ancient scrolls were written in a form of Hebrew that differs slightly from the modern version spoken today.

COMPLEX

Scholars often distinguish between the Biblical Hebrew found in religious texts and the modernized version revived in the late nineteenth century for daily use in secular society.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English Ebreu, from Old French Ebreu, from Latin hebraeus or hebraicus, from Ancient Greek Ἑβραῖος (Hebraîos), from Aramaic עִבְרַי (ʿiḇray), from Hebrew עִבְרִי (ʿiḇrī́).

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the language itself; countable when used as an ethnonym for an ancient person.

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