Hebrew Language - English Words of Hebrew Origin

English words of Hebrew origin

abacus
probably from אבק abaq (="dust")
amen
from אמן amen (="so be it; truly")
Ashkenazi
from אשכנזי ashkenazi (="German")
bar mitzvah
from בר מצווה bar mitzvah (="son of (the) commandment")
behemoth
from בהמות behemot (="beasts")
Bethlehem, bedlam
from בית לחם bet lehem (="house of bread")
bris
from ברית brit via Yiddish (="covenant (of circumcision)")
cherub, cherubim
from כרוב kherubh, כרובים kherubhim
golem
from גולם golem (="unformed, incomplete")
goy
from goyim ("nations, gentiles")
Hallelujah
from הללויה halleluyah (="(let us) praise God")
Israel
from ישראל yisrael (="(the one who) wrestles (with) God")
jehu
from Yehuw an insane driver
Jerusalem
from ירושלים yerushalayim
jubilee
from יובל yovel (="ram's horn")
kibbutz
from קיבוץ kibutz (="gathering")
kippah
from כיפה kippah
kosher
from כשר kasher (="fit, acceptable")
leviathan
from לויתן livyatan (="sea monster")
maven
from מבין mevin via Yiddish (="one who understands")
Messiah
from משיח mashiah (="anointed")
methuselah
from Methuwselah, the oldest living human (969 years)
mohel
from מוהל mohel via Yiddish
nimrod
from Nimruwdh "a mighty hunter"
rabbi
from רבי ravi (="my master")
Sabbath
("rest")
Satan
from שטן satan (="adversary")
schwa
from שווא sheva "ְ"
Sephardi
from ספרדי sefardi (="Spaniard")
seraph, seraphim
from שרף seraf, שרפים serafim ("fiery ones")
shibboleth
from שיבולת shibolet (="ear of grain")



Words with Semitic roots akin to Hebrew

cider
akin to שכר shekar (="intoxicating liquor")
cinnamon
akin to קינמון kinamon
camel
akin to גמל gamal
earnest money
akin to ערבון eravon through Greek αρραβων
hyssop
akin to אזוב ezov
sack
akin שק saq (="sackcloth")
sapphire
akin to ספיר sapir

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Hebrew_origin

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