# Jew

/ˈdʒu/ (US) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jew
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

a person who belongs to a group of people with a shared history, culture, and religion called Judaism.

For teachers: a member of the people and cultural community whose traditional religion is Judaism and who trace their origins through the ancient Hebrew people of Israel to Abraham.

## Examples

- He is a practicing Jew who attends synagogue every Saturday.
- The local community center hosts events for both secular and religious Jews to celebrate their shared heritage.
- The historian's lecture focused on the diverse experiences of Jews living in various European cities during the nineteenth century.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He is a Jew man." but "He is a Jewish man." — While 'Jew' is the correct noun for a person, 'Jewish' is the required adjective form to describe someone or something.

## Usage notes

- The term is a neutral ethnonym when used as a noun; however, using it as an adjective or a verb is considered offensive and antisemitic.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.