Judaism

noun

Ju·​da·​ism ˈjü-dē-ˌi-zəm  ˈjü-də-  ˈjü-(ˌ)dā- 

 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

Interpretations of the Torah, as well as associations with the Holocaust, have led tattoos to long be considered forbidden or taboo within Judaism, though contemporary attitudes towards it have somewhat shifted. —Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California, has a new exhibit that offers visitors a deeper understanding of ancient Judaism and the early foundations of Christianity. —Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 6 Apr. 2025

The prospect of a Jewish state in the Christian Holy Land challenged the church’s view of Judaism as a religion whose people were condemned to permanent exile as punishment for rejecting Christ. —Shalom Goldman, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2025

Even as Christians moved away from Judaism, the evangelists continued to work within a Jewish scriptural tradition that expected later writers to build on earlier ones. —Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing Judaism

• anti-Judaism
• Conservative Judaism
• Orthodox Judaism
• Reform Judaism

Rhymes for Judaism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism
• americanism

Kids Definition

Judaism

noun

Ju·​da·​ism ˈjüd-ə-ˌiz-əm  ˈjüd-ē- 

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