ishmael
/ˈɪʃ.meɪ.əl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.84 in modern English
12
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
name
The eldest son of Abraham and his wife's handmaiden Hagar who were cast out after the birth of Isaac; traditionally the ancestor of the Arabs via the Ishmaelites.
name
A male given name from Hebrew.
noun
An outcast.
Example Sentences
- "And Hagar bare Abram a ſonne: and Abram called his ſonnes name, which Hagar bare, Iſhmael."
- "Call me Ishmael."
- "Call me Ishmael. Some years ago — never mind how long precisely — having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off — then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me."
- "His new friend was evidently a young Ishmael — his hand against every man and every man's hand against him."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: יִשְׁמָעֵאל
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in People.