Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

rabbi

/ˈɹæ.baɪ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.69 in modern English

Syllables
rab-bi
IPA
/ˈɹæ.baɪ/
9
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A Jew who is the leader or is qualified to be the leader of a Jewish congregation.

Countable

noun

A senior officer who acts as a mentor.

Countable; Slang

noun

The title of a rabbi (a Jewish scholar or teacher); used before or instead of the rabbi's name.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English raby, from Ecclesiastical Latin rabbi, and its source Koine Greek ῥαββί (rhabbí), from (post-Tanakh) Hebrew רַבִּי (rabbi, “my master”), from רַב (rav, “master”) + ־ִי (-í, “my”). Compare late Old English rabbi. Doublet of rebbe and related to rav.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈɹæ.baɪ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

rav rabbeinu rebbe reb rebbetzin

Questions

How do you pronounce rabbi?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɹæ.baɪ/.
What does rabbi mean?
A Jewish scholar or teacher of halacha (Jewish law), capable of making halachic decisions.
Where does rabbi come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce rabbi

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “rabbi”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɹæ.baɪ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “rabbi”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “rabbi” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.