English words from Biblical Hebrew
5 English words with Biblical Hebrew in their history, whether borrowed directly or passed on through other languages.
behemoth
It is borrowed from Late Latin behemoth, from Biblical Hebrew בְּהֵמוֹת (bəhēmōt), usually explained as an intensive plural of bəhēmâ “beast”. Etymonline notes that the Hebrew word may be an…
cherub
It is borrowed from Late Latin cherub, from Ancient Greek χερούβ (kheroúb), from Biblical Hebrew כְּרוּב (kərūḇ), perhaps related to Akkadian karābu “to be gracious, to bless”. It replaced Middle…
jubilee
It is inherited from Middle English jubile, borrowed from Old French jubilé, from Late Latin iūbilaeus (“of the jubilee”), from Ancient Greek ἰωβηλαῖος (iōbēlaîos), from iōbēlos, from Biblical…
Sabbath
It is inherited from Middle English sabat, inherited from Old English sabat, also borrowed from Old French sabbat, from Latin sabbatum, from Ancient Greek σάββατον (sábbaton), from Biblical Hebrew…
shibboleth
It is borrowed from Biblical Hebrew שִׁבֹּלֶת (šibbōleṯ, “stream, flood; ear of grain”). In Judges 12:4–6 the Gileadites used the word as a test to identify fleeing Ephraimites, who could not…