Levi

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Pronunciations

Levi (LEE-vye) listen

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Definitions

  • n. The biblical third son of Jacob and Leah, father of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

  • n. A member of the biblical tribe of Levi, often someone who worked as an assistant to the Kohen at the Temple and continues to possess certain privileges.

  • n. A common Jewish last name, referring to someone with lineage from the tribe of Levi.

  • n. A lion.

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Example Sentences

  • "Her last name is Levi, so she must come from an important family!"

  • "Did you know that the Kohanim were also from the tribe of Levi? And if you weren't a Kohen or a Levi, you belong to Israel."

  • "Are you a Levi, a Kohen, or a Yisra'el?" (Glinert)

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Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew

Etymology

  • senses 1, 2, and 3: לוי levi 'Levi' / 'member of the tribe of Levi'

    sense 4: לביא levi 'lion'

      • Who Uses This

      • Jews: Jews of diverse religious backgrounds and organizational involvements

      Regions

      • North America
      • Great Britain
      • South Africa
      • Australia / New Zealand

      Dictionaries

      • The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001).
      • The Joys of Hebrew, by Lewis Glinert (New York, 1992).
      • Dictionary of Jewish Usage: A Popular Guide to the Use of Jewish Terms, by Sol Steinmetz (Lanham, MD, 2005).

      Alternative Spellings

      Levy

Notes

  • levi 'Levi' - word-penultimate stress
    levi 'lion' - word-ultimate stress

    plural: 'levi'im'

    See also Levite.

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