Sanhedrin

noun

San·​he·​drin san-ˈhe-drən How to pronounce Sanhedrin (audio)
sän-;
san-ˈhē-,
ˈsa-nə-
: the supreme council and tribunal of the Jews during postexilic times headed by a High Priest and having religious, civil, and criminal jurisdiction

Examples of Sanhedrin 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.
Following the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the Sanhedrin and the High Priest conspire to hand Jesus over to the Romans for execution. Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 At a trial before a judicial council known as the Sanhedrin, Jesus was sentenced to death. Erin Jensen, USA TODAY, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Late Hebrew sanhedhrīn (gĕdhōlāh) (great) Sanhedrin, from Greek synedrion council, from synedros sitting in council, from syn- + hedra seat — more at sit

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Sanhedrin was in 1588

Dictionary Entries Near Sanhedrin

Cite this Entry

“Sanhedrin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Sanhedrin. Accessed 20 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Sanhedrin

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!