Judaism

noun

Ju·​da·​ism ˈjü-dē-ˌi-zəm How to pronounce Judaism (audio) ˈjü-də- How to pronounce Judaism (audio) ˈjü-(ˌ)dā- How to pronounce Judaism (audio)
 British also  ˈjü-ˌdi-zəm
1
: a religion developed among the ancient Hebrews and characterized by belief in one transcendent God who has revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life in accordance with Scriptures and rabbinic traditions
2
: the cultural, social, and religious beliefs and practices of the Jews
3
: conformity to Jewish rites, ceremonies, and practices
4
: the whole body of Jews : the Jewish people

Examples of Judaism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Notwithstanding recent moments of tension around Israel, the Catholic Church has affirmed time and time again its commitment to fighting antisemitism and appreciating Judaism as a sibling tradition. Joshua Stanton, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2025 In Redwood, Jesse reconnects with her Judaism, and in Floyd Collins, there’s so much questioning of God and the afterlife. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025 The site, which is known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is the holiest place in Judaism. Tamar Michaelis, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2025 Those include the parodies of commercials and public access programs that begin episodes, giving us introductions to Judaism and the French-Canadian mobsters and a particular brand of coffee in ways that, like so much in the series, feel fleetingly amusing rather than coherently realized. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Judaism

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Judaism was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Judaism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Judaism. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

Judaism

noun
1
: a religion developed among the ancient Hebrews that stresses belief in one God and faithfulness to the laws of the Torah
2
: the beliefs and practices of the Jews
Judaic
jü-ˈdā-ik
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Judaism

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!