Hebrew

UK: /ˈhiːbruː/ US: /ˈhibru/ ,(hē′bro̅o̅)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

He•brew /ˈhibru/   n. 

1. Language Varieties [countable] a member of any of a group of Semitic peoples who claimed descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
2. Language Varieties [uncountable] the Semitic language of the ancient Hebrews, revived as a vernacular in the 20th century.

adj. 

3. Language Varieties of the Hebrews or their language.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

He•brew  (hē′bro̅o̅), n. 

1. Language Varieties a member of the Semitic peoples inhabiting ancient Palestine and claiming descent from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
   an Israelite.
2. Language Varieties a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic family, the language of the ancient Hebrews, which, although not in a vernacular use from 100 b.c. to the 20th century, was retained as the scholarly and liturgical language of Jews and is now the national language of Israel. Abbr.: Heb

adj. 

3. Language Varieties Hebraic.
4. Linguistics noting or pertaining to the script developed from the Aramaic and early Hebraic alphabets, used since about the 3rd century b.c. for the writing of Hebrew, and later for Yiddish, Ladino, and other languages.

• Medieval Latin Ebrēī
• Aramaic ‘Ibhraij; replacing Old English Ebrēas (plural)
• Late Greek Hebraîos
• Medieval Latin Ebrēus for Latin Hebraeus
• Old French
• Latin) of Ebreu
• Middle English Hebreu, variant (with H- bef. 1000

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Hebrew / ˈhiːbruː/ noun

1. the ancient language of the Hebrews, revived as the official language of Israel. It belongs to the Canaanitic branch of the Semitic subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family of languages
2. a member of an ancient Semitic people claiming descent from Abraham; an Israelite
3. a Jew

adjective

1. of or relating to the Hebrews or their language
2. Jewish

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French Ebreu, from Latin Hebraeus, from Greek Hebraios, from Aramaic `ibhray, from Hebrew `ibhrī one from beyond (the river)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

He•bra•ic  (hi brā′ik), adj. 

1. Language Varieties, Judaism of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the Hebrews, their language, or their culture.

Also, Hebrew. 

• Greek Hebraïkós, equivalent. to Hebra(îos) Hebrew + -ikos -ic; replacing Old English Ebrēisc
• Late Latin Hebraicus
• Middle English 1350–1400

He•bra′i•cal•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Hebraic / hɪˈbreɪɪk/, Hebraical, Hebrew adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the Hebrews or their language or culture

Heˈbraically adverb