Adonai

Edit

Pronunciations

Adonai (ah-doh-NEYE) listen
Adoshem (ah-doh-SHEM) listen
Adonai (ah-duh-NOY) listen

Record a Pronunciation

Definitions

  • n. Literally, 'my Lord'; a name for God.

Example Sentences

  • "Jewish blessings traditionally begin, 'Baruch Atah Adonai...' [Lit: "Blessed are you, God..."]"

Record a Sentence

Languages of Origin

  • Textual Hebrew

Etymology

  • אֲדֹנָי

      • Who Uses This

      • Religious: Jews who are engaged in religious observance and have some Jewish education

      Regions

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

      Dictionaries

      • The New Joys of Yiddish, by Leo Rosten and Lawrence Bush (New York, 2003[1968]).
      • The JPS Dictionary of Jewish Words, by Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, (Philadelphia, 2001).
      • Dictionary of Jewish Usage: A Popular Guide to the Use of Jewish Terms, by Sol Steinmetz (Lanham, MD, 2005).

      Alternative Spellings

      Adonoy, Adonay

Notes

  • This is how Jews pronounce the tetragrammaton (God's four-letter name) in the context of prayers and blessings. Observant Jews believe this word is never to be used outside of prayer.

Edit     Something missing from this entry? Inaccurate? Feel free to suggest an edit.