rabbi¹

[rab-ahy] /ˈræb aɪ/

noun, plural rabbis.

the chief religious official of a synagogue, trained usually in a theological seminary and duly ordained, who delivers the sermon at a religious service and performs ritualistic, pastoral, educational, and other functions in and related to his or her capacity as a spiritual leader of Judaism and the Jewish community.

Compare cantor (def 2).

a title of respect for a Jewish scholar or teacher.

a Jewish scholar qualified to rule on questions of Jewish law.

any of the Jewish scholars of the 1st to 6th centuries a.d. who contributed to the writing, editing, or compiling of the Talmud.

Slang. a personal patron or adviser, as in business.

Origin

1250-1300; Middle English rabi (< Old French rab(b)i) < Late Latin rabbī < Greek rhabbí < Hebrew rabbī my master (rabh master + -ī my)

rabbi²

[rab-ee] /ˈræb i/

noun, Ecclesiastical

rabat¹ .

Origin

by alteration

Examples from the web for rabbi

We'll leave those problems up to you and your rabbi.
One common worry was that all this kosher labelling was going on without a rabbi in sight.
Yes, they wanted a rabbi to be with them in their last minutes.

British Dictionary definitions for rabbi

rabbi

/ˈræbaɪ/

noun (pl) -bis

(in Orthodox Judaism) a man qualified in accordance with traditional religious law to expound, teach, and rule in accordance with this law

the religious leader of a congregation; the minister of a synagogue

the Rabbis, the early Jewish scholars whose teachings are recorded in the Talmud

See also Rav

Word Origin

Hebrew, from rabh master + -ī my

Word Origin and History for rabbi

"Jewish doctor of religious law," late 15c. (in Old English in biblical context only; in Middle English also as a title prefixed to personal names), from Late Latin rabbi, from Greek rhabbi, from Mishnaic Hebrew rabbi "my master," from rabh "master, great one," title of respect for Jewish doctors of law + -i, first person singular pronominal suffix. From Semitic root r-b-b "to be great or numerous" (cf. robh "multitude;" Aramaic rabh "great; chief, master, teacher;" Arabic rabba "was great," rabb "master").

rabbi in Culture

rabbi definition

In Judaism, a teacher and leader of worship, usually associated with a synagogue.

Slang definitions & phrases for rabbi

rabbi

noun

An influential sponsor; a patron: I see you got the gold tin; who's your rabbi?

[1932+; the dated instance has to do with post-office workers]

rabbi in the Bible

my master, a title of dignity given by the Jews to their doctors of the law and their distinguished teachers. It is sometimes applied to Christ (Matt. 23:7, 8; Mark 9:5 (R.V.); John 1:38, 49; 3:2; 6:25, etc.); also to John (3:26).