# Jewish

/ˈdʒuɪʃ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jewish
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. religion

adjective · CEFR A2

relating to the religion of Judaism.

For teachers: relating to the monotheistic religion of the Jewish people.

- The family celebrated several Jewish holidays throughout the year.
- The scholar published a comprehensive study on Jewish law and its influence on modern ethical frameworks.

### 2. culture and people

adjective · CEFR A2

relating to the culture, history, or ethnicity of Jews.

For teachers: relating to the ethnic identity, cultural heritage, or history of the Jewish people, independent of religious practice.

- They enjoyed traditional Jewish food at the community festival.
- The museum features an extensive collection of Jewish art spanning several centuries of European history.

### 3. offensive stereotype

adjective · CEFR C2 · Vulgar · Informal

a very offensive and rude way to describe someone as greedy.

For teachers: a derogatory and highly offensive stereotype used to characterize someone as miserly or greedy.

- He used a Jewish stereotype to insult the shopkeeper, which was very offensive.
- The use of such a derogatory Jewish trope in the 19th-century novel reflects the deep-seated prejudices of that era.

Usage: This sense is purely an ethnic slur and is considered hate speech in many contexts.

Teaching tip: Learners must never use this word to mean 'greedy'; it is a severe ethnic slur that will cause great offense.

## Examples

- They are celebrating a Jewish holiday this week.
- The local community center offers classes on Jewish history and traditional cooking.
- Scholars often discuss the diverse ways in which Jewish identity is expressed across different geographical regions and historical periods.

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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.